Reboot (Rewrite)
by JapaneseClute
Summary: When Hikaru Hitachiin woke up 187 minutes after dying he was changed. He had no memories of a life before he woke at HARC. Reboots are a secret to the common people. They are those that wake up after death, but are no longer human. Hikaru has no heartbeat,no emotions, so when a certain class rep reboots and mentions a boy named Kaoru, why does Hikaru suddenly feel alive?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! I wrote Reboot a long time ago and I've grown quite a bit stylistically since then. I have decided to give the story another go. There will be plot changes to make it a bit easier to follow and enhance it. I've thought of so many things that could make it better. Now is the time for them. ^.^**

 **Reboot is a novel written by Amy Tintera. I do not own the concept of reboots and highly recommend reading it.**

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 **Hikaru #187:**

My eyes fluttered open for the first time only to be blinded by light, but I knew that I was surrounded by armed men. They did not have to move, I could hear their breathing as if they were standing right next to me. They tensed immediately seeing my eyes open, it had been so long they weren't expecting me to come back. Yet there I was, awkae 187 minutes after my death. I didn't know it at the time, but I was dead longer than any other of my kind. I was an uncharted territory that terrified the men guarding the room.

I could hear the cocking of guns, the blade of a knife cutting the air as it was pointed at me, and the breath catch in the throats of those shocked. They were expecting a retaliation, but all I did was sit up and stare at them. It was an uncomfortable silence. They knew that I had the power to escape coursing through my veins, I knew that as well, yet I sat still. There was something missing. Everything was missing.

The surrounding men felt fear. A very basic human emotion, their heart rates had climbed the charts. I knew the name of the emotion they felt, but I did not know my own name. I could not remember anything except getting hit by a car. I remembered my heart stopped beating. I knew my age, I was only 14 years old still in middle school. I could name just about every hormone in the air, but I could not feel a thing. There was emptiness and that was all I had.

"Doug?" Someone finally spoke up. I looked over at him, his face lost it's color very quickly. He raised his weapon at me to show that he wasn't vulnerable. It was an unnessecary gesture.

"Yeah?" A man, Doug answered not bothering to take his eyes off me. Their paranoia was human.

"How long was he...?" The first man started avoiding the word 'dead' as if he thought that I didn't know. I was nothing but a ticking time bomb in their eyes, but I liked having fear on my side. They were keeping quite the distance.

"One hundred and eighty seven minutes," Doug gulps. Their paranoia and fear told me that I was special. A new person moves towards me, a much smaller man. He is shaking slightly as he takes my forearm and moves a machine over it. Once he is finished I have an identity.

 _Hikaru Hitachiin 187_

Beneath that is a bar code. I knew that whoever Hikaru Hitachiin had been was long gone. I was 187, I was dead. Hikaru Hitachiin didn't matter to me, but I couldn't help but feel that the name was the only thing I had to myself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. To those here from the first write of Reboot, this one will be similar, but different. It has developed differently in my mind in this time around. I've put more careful planning into this, so hopefully the plot is smooth and any inconsitancies I wrote into the first one don't have the chance to show up here.**

 **Enjoy!**

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 **Hikaru:**

The clock continued to move, but I never started to feel again. I never became more human and I never wished I had. HARC was a facility that houses the reboots. The lower number reboots, those had been dead for less than a hundred minutes still possessed human emotions as well as their memories and it was those qualities that got them eliminated.  
I had witnessed far too many eliminations to wish for humanity to grace me. Humanity was weakness and I was the strongest reboot in HARC.

I was fourteen when I died. Now I was sixteen maybe seventeen. I stopped tracking insignificant human years. No one celebrated birthdays in head quarters. No one celebrated the new arrivals. No one celebrated life because by definition, the scientists and officers were the only ones truly alive in the facility.

That didn't mean that every day was pointless. I became a trainer and the best one at that. Apprentice choosing day was always my favorite. I always trained the strongest reboots and made them even stronger. It was a reflection upon me and my skills. I was the best. No one ever disputed that.

"187, which reboot do you wish to mentor?" A guard asks me. I look them over, dissatisfied with all of them. They were all low numbers. Each looked frightened except for one the one staring at me with unsettling purple eyes. There was fear in his eyes, but he wasn't avoiding eye contact the way the others were.

"You," I nod at him making my way over to him and circling him. "Who are you?" I ask him as my eyes look for his bar code. Finally, he moves his arms so I can see it.

 _ **Kazukiyo Soga 46**_

"Kazu-46," He started with his human name, but quickly refrained from finishing it. Almost as if it were something he wanted to keep to himself. So, he wanted to be mysterious? That was fine by me.

"This one will be my apprentice," I say with a chilling smile causing him to flinch. There was a very humanistic fire burning in the kids eyes that I was going to extinguish. It was the first time I hadn't chosen the highest number. No one dared to question me.

"Why did you pick me?" 46 demanded once we were on our own. I narrowed my eyes at him wondering why he felt so entitled to question me. My glare was enough to make him shudder.

"You do not question me. I picked you because you have something the others didn't. You have a will to survive somewhere in that puny little make up of yours," I told him as I jabbed my index finger into his shoulder. He took a few steps backwards. I could tell he was fighting to keep a straight face.

"Who are you?" He asked me much more quietly now. It had only taken me a couple of minutes to frighten him.

"Hikaru Hitachiin 187," I tell him crossing my arms. His eyes widened, something had shocked him. A fine example of under 60 emotion that I hate so much.

"I thought you sounded familiar, but I didn't think you were actually someone I knew," He said looking up at me with his violet eyes.

"Look, I don't care if you knew me. I am not that human anymore. I know nothing of that human's life. I don't care," My tone was annoyed, but I was more annoyed with myself than 46. There was a reason I didn't want to know about my human life. I was afraid it would make me weak.

"But Kaoru-" He was cut off by my hand flying up. He flinched and shut his mouth. That name caused my breath to hitch in my throat. For a moment I could feel blood running through my veins and the unnessecary beating of my dead heart. For a moment I was alive and all the under 60 emotion I hate was a part of me. Now I wasn't annoyed. I was angry.

"I will tell you one more time. I do not want to hear what you think you know about me, or who you associate me with," I growl at him causing him to shrink back showing his fear for the first time. I knew it had been there the whole time.

He didn't speak to me again. I inspected him to get an idea of his muscle capacity and as I did, I couldn't help but notice he had a nervous shake. Perhaps he wasn't as brave as I thought he was when he was staring at me. I grabbed his forearm lifting it towards me causing him to flinch and whimper slightly.

"Were you a coward when you were alive too?" I ask him letting his arm drops. To my dismay he looked down at the ground.

"Yes," He muttered as a red color spread over his pale cheeks. "You didn't help much," He said even more quietly. I felt rage boil under my skin again as I realized it was another mention of my human life.

"And what did I do to you?" I asked him through clenched teeth. He looked up a little surprised.

"You were constantly pulling pranks on me. You found my biggest fear and branched out from there making all my fears worse. You and Kaoru," He said not wanting to elaborate more. I didn't want an elaboration either. The name Kaoru made me feel funny. I hated that name.

"We're done for today. Go," I growl at him. My mind isn't on training anymore. He makes a hasty exit and I follow veering off to my room.

In my room, I pull out my sketchbook. Every reboot is given a sketch book to document events of there human life. Everyone has multiple pages filled with many things, but I only had one drawing. It was of a tall guy with shaggy blonde hair and violet eyes in some kind of uniform. He's the only person I remember from my human life and now I have a name to put to his face. I pick up the pencil and write in my neat hand writing the name that makes me feel all the things someone that was dead for 187 minutes should not feel underneath the detailed profile of his face.

' **Kaoru'**

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Like, dislike? Review for more!


	3. Chapter 3

**Hikaru:**

I'm beginning to think that selecting 46 as my apprentice was a mistake. His cardio was poor unless he was motivated by his fear, he lacked common sense and contiuned to push my buttons, his under 60 emotion made me uncomfortable, and he wasn't a fighter. I had showed him many times how to throw a punch, but his clumsy weak limbs don't move the way mine do. He's practically still human. As the first week training him passed I became more and more convinced he would be eliminated.

The humans that run HARC have little regards for the reboots. If they feel one isn't serving it's purpose and performing adequately, they kill if off in a practice they call 'Elimination'. If 46 were to get eliminated, it would be my first failure and I can't stand for that. I didn't fail. Everyone knew that.

"Have you ever killed anyone?" 46 asks as I move his arms up to show him once again how to defend himself properly. He's grown much more comfortable with my touch and allows me to move him as I need. He's realized that I won't be the one that kills him.

"Yes," I answer shortly not in the mood to play another round of 20 questions with him. I finally get his arms to where they need to be to defend himself, but he drops them. "Why'd you drop them?" I ask glaring at the low numbered reboot.

"Will I have to kill people?" He asks slowly. I sigh and raise my arms. There's only one way to get this lesson through to him.

"Yes," I reply and then I throw my fist into his jaw. I hear the bone crack and 46 screams and stumbles backwards ultimately falling onto his back. The other reboots in the area take no notice.

It was the first time I had punched 46 with out holding back. He clearly wasn't ready for it. He was never going to learn a lesson if I didn't teach it to him. A minute or two passed and the screaming died off. Luckily for 46, who's jaw I had just broken, reboots heal much more quickly than humans. His jaw had fully healed within seven.

I offered a hand to him and reluctantly he took it. He was still rubbing his jaw, but we both knew it didn't hurt anymore. "If you had kept your arms up like I showed you, that wouldn't have happened. Now are you ready to learn how to fight so you can live?" I asked him.

"I don't think I want to live. I can't kill people. I'd rather them just elminate me or whatever they do," He said quietly looking down. How had that fire I saw a week ago died off already? I was angry again. He was saying the least selfish thing I had ever heard, but his sudden death wish was not ok.

I didn't answer, instead, I raised my arms again and threw another punch into his jaw. He rubbed it and looked at me as if I had lost my mind. I threw another into his stomach and even another. By the fifth punch he understood I wasn't going to stop and suddenly he was angry at me for not respecting his decision to give into elmination. He clenched his teeth. Every ruthless training tatic I had ever used on him started to surface. He raised his arms into a perfect defensive stance and blocked my punches quite well for a beginner. He even threw one that I ducked with ease, but he knew I would. At the same time, he moved around me and kicked his foot into the back of my knee causing my legs to buckle.

I hit the floor hard causing everyone training to look over at me. 46 was panting, but I was in shock. He did have some talent in that weak body of his. Despite his weak muscular composistion, he was a strategist and that had been what enabled him to knock me down. This time, he offered me a hand. I didn't take it. Instead I shook my head and pushed myself upwards.

"I knew you had a will to survive in there. No matter what you say, you don't want to die. You're not that brave," I growled at him. My anger wasn't fully subsided yet and I knew this was going to be the talk at dinner.

"I meant what I said Hikaru. I can't kill anyone. I'd like to live, but I can't live with myself if I kill a person. I'm book smart. I'm not good at this whole fighting to survive thing," He said shrinking back a little bit.

"You will learn. You won't just give up. Survival is your number one instincts," I inform him bluntly. Every reboot had a strong will to survive. They just had to uncover it. There was always a reason whether they knew it or not. Like 46, I did not know my reason to survive either. "We're done today," I inform him taking my leave quickly before he can ask me anything else. Unfortunately for me, he moves fast.

"What comes after training?" He asks.

"Missions," I sigh annoyed.

"What happens on missions?" He asks me. I know exactly what he doesn't want to hear.

"Anything HARC wants. It could be a robbery. a rescue mission, a retrieval, or an assassination," I run my hand through my dark brown hair. It was getting a little long for my taste. I looked at 46 and wondered what he had looked like as a human. Every reboot's appearance alters when they awaken after having rebooted. I wondered what I looked like as a human.

I stop dead in my tracks. I had never wondered about my human life and I couldn't start now. I couldn't let this thought branch into another and then another. This was without a doubt 46's doing. I had never even been curious until he showed up. No, I had never cared until he mentioned Kaoru.

"Are you ok?" 46 pulls me from my thoughts, but he looks white as a sheet undoubtedly from what I told him could occur on missions.

"No, I'm not ok. It's you in my head. You and your comments about Kaoru,whoever that is. They're driving me crazy because for the first time I want to know who I was," I pause. In the blink of an eye I have 46 pinned against a wall before a continue. "Now I am going to ask you this one time and then you will never speak of my human life again. Who is Kaoru?" I growl.

46 stares at me fearful as if I may snap and truthfully, I may. He's shaking in my grasp, so I push him harder to the wall. I feel a little pinprick in my leg.

"Kaoru is-" That's all I hear before my legs give out and there are a few HARC guards towering over me. It only takes me a second to figure out I had been sedated, most likely for exerting such violence and little control.

I look up at 46 as my conciousness starts to slip away from me. He's saying something, but I don't hear him. All the walls are moving around me and finally I black out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry! School is crazy and I'm so busy. If I wasn't this would definitely be a better chapter. On that note, this is a filler and therefore is boring. Sorry. :)**

 **DISCLAIMER**

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 **Hikaru:**

"You know 187, in your years here I have never seen act so forcefully. This new apprentice of yours must truly be angering you," My eyes opened slowly. I was strapped onto a cold metal table. I tried to move my arms, but the restraints were clearly made to contain me.

"Let me out," I growl, but quickly remember who I am talking to. The guy in charge. He could have me eliminated. I refrain from speaking again.

"I'm just worried about you 187. I got to thinking. You haven't been on a mission lately. Maybe that would help to clear your head. But I have a twist. Let's play a game," The boss is walking around the table, but I can't see him. I stare straight forward waiting for him to continue with this plan of his. He's a ruthless man.

"The Ootori family has bee working on a cure to a disease. I want that research. You're going to get it for me. There is a reward for this mission. If you succeed, I will not elminate your weakly apprentice 46 yet. You're wasting your time and talent though truly," He said. My breath hitched in my throat. He had never put any pressure on my success.

"What's the catch?" I ask. I hear more people enter the room and begin to remove the restraints. I sit up slowly to face the boss.

"The Ootori family has a private family police force at their disposal. One wrong move and you've got a major problem on your hands. If they catch you, we'll have to relocate. You'll be experimented on. It won't be pleasant," The boss finished flashing a wicked grin at me. If I was a human, it would've given me chills.

"When do I leave?" I asked him.

"Now," He said and I nodded. I was always ready for a mission.

I was escorted to the front of the building where they handed me a helmet, a gun, and a knife. The only way to kill a reboot is to destroy their brain. Every reboot is issued a helmet before a mission. I tuck both the gun and knife away into my pockets and take the file another guard is holding out to me. I read it on the ride to the hospital where the research was being held.

The van HARC used to transport me to the hospital parked out front of it. It was time for me to go in, but not before I took the knife and cut deeps into my skin. I only had a couple of minutes before the cut would heal. I had to play my cards wisely. Once I checked in, I was immediately escorted back because of the severity of my cut.

"Well Mr. uh," The doctor starts, but I cut in.

"Johnson."

"Yes, the cut doesn't appear as deep as we feared it was. It bled much more than a cut usually would. No stitches are required,"I smiled and nodded. I slid my sweatshirt on just as I felt the skin close again. "Take it easy and be careful not to reopen the cut. Have a nice day. The exit is down the hall and to the left," The doctor told me, but before he could leave I blocked the exit.

Without saying a word, I extended my hand to him to shake and while he did I pickpocketed his ID and key card. He never even noticed. I side stepped to allow him to leave. It wouldn't be long until he realized what was missing. I slid out the door and made a left. The file provided me with the information on the where abouts of the research.

The file I needed to steal was on a virus called the KDH virus. It was on the second floor in room 208. I shoved my hands in my pocket and flipped the hood to my sweatshirt up. My face tilted down as I unlocked the the door to the stairs.

Room 208 stuck out like a sore thumb. It was guarded and the other rooms were not. The guard saw me coming, but I didn't stop.

"Hey, you can't be here," He said reaching for his taser. I smirked.

"Sorry that you had to cross my path," I say before I shove him full force in to the wall. His head hit hard no doubt causing a concussion. He blacked out. I drug him into the room with me.

Room 208 was a tiny one with few chemistry sets. I looked them over before my eyes landed on a file. I smiled exactly what I needed. As I picked it up an alarm started to go off. The doctor must've noticed the missing key card. Footsteps sound down the hall coming towards the room. I'm cornered. Bracing myself for impact, I take a running start and jump out of the window. As I make impact with the ground, my arm cracks. I clench my teeth and rise anyway running with the file. Within minutes I'm back in the van going to HARC.

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Next chapter will be in Kaoru's POV


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, I'm really late on this. I'm sorry! .**

 **DISCLAIMER to Ouran and Reboot**

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 **Kaoru 3 Years Ago:**

The police said it was murder, but there was no evidence pointing towards who the killer was. My eyes stare at the wall. My twin brother, my best friend was laid to rest at only 14 years old all because some guy the police had no lead on decided to take him from the world, from me. I would've rather it had been me. Without Hikaru I am just half of one entity numb to the world.

The police claimed it must've been a robbery gone wrong. His arms had been covered in deep cuts from defense or torture, that detail is unclear, he had been shot in the leg to prevent him from running away, but the true cause of death was drowning. Out of all the deaths he could've suffered this one was the slowest and most painful.

It had been a week already and I had to return to school. Once I got home, I noticed a note tucked in my bag. I frowned, it was probably another pitiful condolence. Reluctantly, I unfolded the paper.

 _Kaoru,_

 _Your brother Hikaru wasn't killed by just anyone. He was killed by a species of monsters called reboots. They are people that wake up after death. Reboots are faster, stronger, and more violent than humans. The amount of violence around Hikaru's death points right at reboots. The only true way to kill a reboot is by destroying their brain._

 _If you want to know more about reboots and help seeking revenge, meet me at the cafe on 19th street at 9:00 pm sharp._

 _My Condolences for your brother,_

 _A knowledgeable friend_

That was the rendezvous that changed my life.

 **Kaoru 3 Years Later:**

Three years ago, I devoted my life to hunting the creatures we called reboots. I had caught a few of them and ended their miserable existance. It was a risky thing to do should the police ever track the bodies back to me. Luckily, I'm sneaky and I always make sure I have a reboot and not a human. Usually all I have to do is check the barcode, but sometimes they hide it and I have to go off of other cues. Usually, a shot in the leg or a cut on the arm to see how quickly they heal.

No amount of dead reboots will revive my brother or fill the void of his death, but it might help to ensure other people did not go through the same pain that I did. Reboots were monsters that someone had to keep off the streets.

My phone began to ring, Kyouya's name popped up on the ID. I sighed. Kyouya was the only that knew I hunted reboots. He often begged me not to. He was sure I would get myself killed, but I had been training with Mori.

"What?" I answer flipping open the phone.

"My family's hospital was robbed," Kyouya said into the reciever. I was confused as to why I cared.

"So what?" I asked. I didn't mean to sound so rude, he just caught me off guard.

"The man that robbed us had a barcode tattoo. Thought that might peak your interest," Kyouya said. He was right it did.

"What did he take? Was there a name on the barcode?" I asked wondering what a reboot could need from a hospital. They healed faster than humans and never got sick.

"Research we've been conducting and the doctor doesn't recall there being a name," He replied, but didn't specify past that.

"That's not much to go off of, but I'll look into next time I catch a reboot," I said before closing my phone. What would reboots need with research? If there wasn't a name it might not even be a reboot.

I rolled over in my bed and throught through every circumstance in which a reboot would need research for anything. Nothing came to mind. All the reboots usually did was either kill someone or cause chaos. There was no pattern to it. This was probably just an instance of causing chaos. I had better things to do today. I could worry about that tomorrow.

It was Sunday. A day that I always found myself at Hikaru's grave just to visit, talk, and think. He wasn't there, but he was. It brought me little comfort, but little comfort was better than no comfort. Every week I told him how much closer I was to finding the nest where all those creatures resided and terminating them all.

The drive to the cemetary was not a long one by any means, but it always felt the longest to me. In the first year after his death, the drive was unbearable and I resented it. Now I found solace in the fact that this was the only oppertunity I would have to spend time with my brother during the week. I still hated it, but I had come to terms with the fact that this was my life now.

"Hey Hikaru," I said softly sitting in the grass above where he was buried. "Remember me? We kind of look alike," I mused softly.

"Kaoru?" A voice rose from behind me. I turned surprised to see Tamaki standing there.

"Don't sound so surprised Tamaki, he was my twin," I told him with a sad smile. I was still part of the host club with out Hikaru. Tamaki settled onto the grass next to me.

"I come here every once in a while. Especially when I get to thinking about how things were at the club my first year of high school. You two would come up from the middle school and charm all the ladies with your brotherly love act. I miss the pranks you two used to pull," Tamaki said to me, but he was staring at the grave stone.

"I remember those days too. I miss them. Hikaru would've loved to stay in the club. It really helped us be pulled from our own world. We needed that. You really helped us and I am forever greatful for that,"I told him shifting my gaze forward as well. The whole club missed Hikaru dearly. I suspected that even Haruhi might despite the fact that she never got to meet him.

"I never helped you. All I did was show up and told you two to join my club. If I hadn't, I never would've sent Hikaru to your house to retrieve your mom's plans for the costumes the following week. He never would've been killed," Tamaki mumbled pulling his knees into my chest. It hit me like a freight train. I don't know how I had never noticed before. Tamaki blamed himself.

"You are an idiot if you think this is your fault. You may have sent him home, but I refused to go with him. If we hadn't been part of the club we would've been home anyway. He would've died anyway," I told Tamaki. The words felt unsettled as I spoke them because they were true. In either instance Hikaru would've died and possibly me too.

I looked back to Tamaki when he didn't answer. He had silent tears streaming down his face and after a moment I realized I did too. The remainder of our visit was spent crying in silence, relishing each other's company, and mourning the lost.


	6. Cat and Mouse

**So, every 5 chapters will be Kaoru's point of view. The only reason I added him into this chapter was to create a bit of a cat and mouse effect. ;) The fun is really only just beginning for our favorite twins.**

 **DISCLAIMER**

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 **Kaoru's POV**

A month and I had made zero progress on why a reboot would steal medical research. It was starting to drive me mad. It made no sense to me. Reboots didn't get sick and they healed rapidly. They didn't need medical break throughs. It didn't help that Kyouya wouldn't disclose to me what the research was on.

I had caught a few reboots in this time and none of them would tell me why. Not even when I offered them their pathetic lives. I guess they just didn't believe I would spare them. They were smarter than they looked. Despite my great poker face and lying with ease, I would've killed them the second I got what I wanted.

I was pulled from my thoughts when my phone started to ring. The number was unknown, but I knew exactly who it was.

"Hello," I sighed as I answered it.

"Kaoru, I have some news for you. Listen carefully," The deep chilling voice responded. I didn't know what his name was, but he was the man that had told me about the existence of reboots.

"What is it?" I ask curiously. I wonder if he knows about the medical research.

"The strongest reboot is in Ouran. His number is 187 and it is imperative that you catch him," The voice said. It sounded like a demand and a threat almost.

"I'll keep my eye out for him. Why are you telling me this? I would've found him anyway," I said. I didn't like the tone he was using. I got to thinking about who had newly arrived in Ouran lately and how old this reboot was. I wasn't sure who I was looking for. So many new people had moved into Ouran during the month. It made sense that the reboot would choose this time to move into Ouran. A murderous expression came over my face at the man's next statement. 187 wouldn't know what hit him.

" _187 killed your brother."_

 **Hikaru's POV**

The boss had kept true to his word. My apprentice was spared and training had continued for another month or so. While Kazukiyo had progressed slower than the other reboots, he was finally getting there. We'd even gone on a few missions. So far, I had managed the keep him away from assassinations. He didn't have what it would take to pull the trigger on a living being. That wasn't something I could just teach him. Right now, if he had to kill someone I knew he'd never forgive himself and then he'd be worthless here. Ultimately, it would lead to his elimination. While I didn't care particuraly about his life choices or his well being, I did care about the fact that I had never failed before and he would not be an exception.

"That wasn't half bad, was it?" Kazukiyo grinned at me. I rolled my eyes at him. We had just finished a bit of combat training.

"You lost," I pointed out to him. He had lasted considerably longer than usual and it had been somewhat of a work out to me. There was definite improvement in his form, strategy, and strength. It wouldn't be long until he was no longer my apprentice. As soon as he was ready for assassinations, he would be ready to be on his own around here.

"Is that a valid argument? Who doesn't lose to you?" He asked with an eye roll. If I had been a lower number, I probably would've smiled at that. Kazukiyo had been the only one to ever stir up human emotions in me and they were all negative.

The emotions were linked to the name Kaoru. I had asked 46 once, who Kaoru was, but never received an answer. I didn't bother to ask again. It still tore away at me, but thinking about it made me weak and closer to a human. I was much more superior than a human.

"That'll be it today," I told him instead of making a snarky comment back. The others were still training, so we'd get to the showers first. I liked that. Kazukiyo had nothing left to say. I had obviously killed his mood.

We began to walk out in silence, but before we could reach the showers we were stopped by a guard whom motioned for us to follow him to the boss's office. This meant it was time for another mission, or that 46 was being released from my mentoring. Either way, I was fine with that. I could see 46 was nervous. It was only a matter of time before an assassination mission came up.

"Afternoon boys. Have a seat," The boss said. We did as he said without question. "I have another mission for you, but this one is going to be lengthy. That is why we decided that you, 187, are the perfect canidate for this mission. Your apprentice will go along to. It'll help you get some experience in the field," He leaned back in his chair as I leaned forward eager to hear what was to be done. A long term mission meant we'd be stationed in the human world outside the facility. It meant the closest thing to freedom we'd ever see as reboots.

"As I was saying," He opened a file folder with only one sheet in it. My refined eye sight could make out a list of reboots that had never returned from missions. "There's a reboot hunter in the human world interfering with our missions. We don't have any information on who the hunter is or how they're discovering reboots. Your job is to eliminate the hunter before he eliminates you," The boss finished and pushed the folder across the desk towards me.

I glanced at it and then back at the boss. Was this a mission or a test to see if I was strong enough? Suddenly, I was insulted he believed this hunter to be capable of stopping a 187. We were to head to a place called Ouran promptly where we would attend school and hunt the hunter. I was going to show the boss that nothing could best a 187. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kazukiyo flinch at my murderous facial expression. Things were going to get messy. The hunter was about to become the hunted.

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I appreciate the reviews! They make me want to write more for you guys! ^.^


	7. Chapter 7

**Here we are again! The host club is coming and I'm so excited! ^.^**

 **DISCLAIMER**

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 **Hikaru's POV**

I moved around the apartment we were to stay in for the duration of the mission. It felt so free compared to HARC. My room was so big and spacious. I was free to decorate it if I so pleased. I was free to do whatever I wanted to. It already felt like more of a home than the facility.

"What do you think of it?" Kazukiyo asked me as I explored our little kitchen. We would need to get food to put in it.

"It's so big," I said in amazement. When we had arrived late last night Kazukiyo had compared me to a kid on Christmas morning. I hadn't celebrated Christmas since I had rebooted. I hadn't even given thought to the holiday because I didn't remember personally celebrating when I was alive either.

"Eh, it's ok," He said with a shrug. From time to time I forgot that he had grown up in a mansion.

"Stupid rich boy," I mumbled under my breath. He looked like he had something to say about that, but he refrained. A wise choice on his part.

We had both decided to skip school and register in the afternoon. We had received intel that whoever the reboot hunter was attended Ouran Academy, so we would too. We would spend however long it took rooting out who the hunter was and then I would kill him to put any doubts the boss has about me to rest.

"Are you ready to go Hikaru?" Kazukiyo asked me. He was shoving a grocery list in his pocket. After we registered, he offered to do the shopping since he knew what foods were best in the human world. I wouldn't dispute any choice he made. I was fairly certain that after eating the dreadful food at HARC, I could eat anything.

Since reboots didn't look entirely human, we had to go through some extra measures to alter our appearances. Each reboot had deathly pale skin. Unnaturally pale was our signature color. We were hiding this with something boss had called a spray tan. It seemed like over kill to me, but the less physical attributes we had to scream reboot, the better. The spray tan was also enough to his our bar codes. Any reboot hunter would e on the look out for one of those first. Our eyes were always unnatural shades. Mine for example were bright yellow. I assume they had lightened from a brown color, but I wasn't really sure because I didn't know what my human self had looked like. These were hidden away by colored contacts. I wore a dark brown pair that came out to be medium brown once laid over the bright yellow iris. Kazukiyo wore a pair of light blue contacts which appeared a dark blue when mixing with his violet eyes. Our hair colors were human and we both wore it in a style that would easily fall into our eyes if need be. My hair was dark brown. Kazukiyo's was blonde.

We also had new names. While I wasn't sure how many flags would go up if I used my real name, a lot of them would go up if Kazukiyo used his. It wasn't a risk we could take. The reboot hunter would know something was up if we walked around using the names of dead boys. That's how we became Hunter and Keenan Everly, fraternal twins and exchange students.

I had chosen my name out of irony. If worst came to worst, I would leave subtle hints for the hunter to seek me out starting with my name. That was my failsafe though. I was confident that I would be able to find my target. I had never failed before and this wouldn't be the mission that broke my streak.

Kazukiyo lead us down the streets with fluency. I hadn't realized that he had been here before or that he even knew these streets. It wasn't until we reached the school that we were to register at and I saw the memorial for Kazukiyo Soga in the main hall did I put two and two together.

"You didn't tell me this was your school and that you lived here," I said in his ear. He stared sadly at the memorial. I knew what it must've meant to him. The fact that he had lived here before made the mission so much more dangerous for us. If he got homesick or even breathed a word of his true identity to anyone we would both be eliminated.

"I didn't want you to worry," He replied quietly dipping his head. I looked at the picture posted of the human Kazukiyo in front of us and then to the reboot Kazukiyo. I didn't recognize the human and would never draw similarities from the reboot. I think we were safe when it came down to being identified by appearance.

Kazukiyo said nothing as we continued onto registration. The process was painfully simple. All of our documents were faked by HARC, but of course they did the trick in the eyes of the chairman. As far as he was concerned, he had better things to do than waste time with us. When all was said and done, he handed us a map and told us that we could look around if we wanted. I did not, but Kazukiyo did.

I followed him, but he moved quickly through the school halls he had grown up in. I sighed after I had eventually lost him in a crowd of students. If Kazukiyo had been telling me the truth and I had no reason to believe otherwise, I should've known these halls too. I stared at them, down them, and walked through them, but I remembered only one thing. A door.

And that was how I found myself standing infront of a door to music room three. Part of me screamed to push it open as if I had done that a thousand times before, but the rest of me remained frozen in place. What if I had pushed this door open a thousand times before? What did it say about me as a human? Was I a musician? The biggest question though was whether or not I wanted to risk everything I'd become just for a few answers about someone I no longer was.

Finally, I cursed under my breath. It was just a door to a room and it wouldn't change who I was now. To prove my point to the part of me that doubted it, I pushed the door open. I was surprised to see six young men in the room. Each of them looked up to me confused.

"Welcome, are you a new student?" The kid that looked no older than 10 asked me. I wondered what they would make of it if I just turned and left with out a word.

"No, I mean well yes," I said. Technically I had been a student here once, I just didn't remember. The little kid pulled me further into the room. One by one I looked to each person. My eyes lingered on the ginger kid with amber eyes that studied me as if he didn't trust me. I push my anger down. I hated being stared at, but I needed to have a grip on my temper.

"Welcome to the host club," The little kid said to me. I almost laughed. There was no way the hunter would be part of something so cushy. I tore my gaze away from the ginger kid whom had eventually looked away from me and moved on. The one in the middle had caught my attention. I knew that face. It was in my sketch book. I would know those violet eyes anywhere. He was the only one I remembered from my human life.

"Kaoru?" I asked not taking my eyes off him.

* * *

 **Why does Hikaru think Tamaki is Kaoru? I'll give you a hint. You won't find out next chapter, but if you stay tuned, you will find the answer. Review for more!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hikaru's POV**

"Kaoru?" I had asked and the question seemed to linger in the air. The blonde shook his head causing me to grow confused.

"I'm Tamaki, but I also answer to king," He spoke with a kind smile. The ginger kid was staring at me again. I ignored it. If he wasn't Kaoru, then who was it that struck that chord in me? This Tamaki character also must've meant something to me. He was the only face that came to mind from my human life. He looked over at the ginger kid and then back to me. "That's Kaoru," Tamaki said.

I think almost passed out as I looked over at the ginger kid. He was staring at me as if I was a puzzle he wanted to solve. However, he was the puzzle. Somewhere in a life I couldn't remember he meant the world to me. I kept hoping maybe it would come to me, but it didn't. I had no idea who he was.

"Did you need something from me?" The ginger, Kaoru asked me raising an eyebrow. I opened my mouth, but at first I didn't know what to say.

"The chairman said something about you maybe showing me around," I mumbled an excuse as my eyes went to the ground. Then, suddenly, I felt angry. I didn't mumble or avert my gaze for anyone. Certainly not a human. I looked up again. Kaoru's facial features had relaxed considerably. He offered me a smile.

"The chairman is always pushing me to make friends and surround myself with new people. I would be happy to show you around the school. It's really huge. What's your name?" He asked me.

"Hi-," I stopped and cleared my throat, "Hunter." For as many times as I had rehearsed my new name in my head, I couldn't believe I had messed it up. Kaoru walked towards me. We were the same height.

"Well then Hunter, let's get to it," Kaoru said leading the way out of the music room. "That was the host club obviously. We entertain young women with too much freetime," Kaoru said with a shrug. It didn't sound too interesting to me, but then again training had been my source of entertainment for the duration of my reboot life.

"Who were they?" I asked him. I was pretty good with names, so I figured it would only take one go through for me to be able to identify them. Kaoru rattled off everyone's names and described their faces to me. There was Kyouya with black hair and glasses. I knew Kaoru and Tamaki. Haruhi had brown hair and big brown eyes. Mori and Hani were college students that came to the host club every day to participate. Tamaki and Kyouya were in their final year of school and Haruhi and Kaoru were in their third year at the upper school. Kaoru and I were in the same class.

"It's going to take me a while to get used to this," I say as we walk the halls.

"Everyone gets lost around Ouran at first. You'll get it," Kaoru shrugged. I wasn't talking about the layout. I was quickly picking up on it. It seemed familiar to me. I wasn't worried about getting lost in the school. I was talking about the fact that it would take a while for me to get used to school life. Since my death, I had been living a life of ruthless combat. There was no ruthless combat in school.

I didn't respond as we looped back around to the front. Kazukiyo had found his was back and was once again staring at his memorial. I saw a sad smile cross Kaoru's face as he turned to me.

"That's the memorial for our class representative Kazukiyo Soga," Kaoru told me, but I already knew.

"What happened to him?" I asked Kaoru because I realized I had never asked Kazukiyo.

"He was walking home from school one day, he had this habit of staying really late to study and he got hit by a car. He was in a coma for a day or two before he passed. At least it was peaceful," Kaoru said softly. My eyes flickered to Kazukiyo standing there staring at pictures of his human life. It was undoubtedly torture to him. "There used to be another memorial here, but when Kazukiyo passed they took it down to put his up. Most of the students wouldn't even remember Hikaru, but I do. He was my best friend,"Kaoru's tone grew even more sad. I was shocked to hear him speak of me.

"What happened to him?" I asked Kaoru. I knew how I died, but I wanted to know how Kaoru,my best friend saw it.

"He was murdered by-" Kaoru shook his head. "It doesn't matter who he was killed by. He's gone now and that doesn't change a thing," Kaoru ran his hands through his hair.

"They caught the guy?" I asked. It was something I always wondered especially on my death day which was inevitably approaching. Every reboot relived their physical death on the day they died or the days leading up to it in Kazukiyo's case.

"Not yet," Kaoru said this time sounding a little angry. Three years and they were still looking for the person that killed me?

"I'm sorry to hear about Kazukiyo and Hikaru," I finally said as Kazukiyo turned to face us. His eyes were swollen from crying. I hated under 60 emotions. I would never cry like that. His eyes widened a little bit when he saw Kaoru and I.

"Keenan, this is Kaoru. Kaoru this is Keenan my twin brother," I said as Kazukiyo came to my side. He smiled and dipped his head at Kaoru. The look of despair on Kaoru's face deepened, but he never said why. Instead he muttered a greeting to Kazukiyo. Kazukiyo extended a hand to Kaoru, but I frowned at his forearm. I could see where he had been wiping his tears on his arm. His bar code was beginning to show. There was no way to explain why Kazukiyo had the name of a dead boy on his wrist without giving us away.

Kaoru narrowed his eyes at the faint black lines on Kazukiyo's arms, but he shook his head. Kaoru reached his hand for Kazukiyo's, but I stepped between them. Both of them looked at me clearly confused about why I had interfered in their handshake. I wasn't sure what to say.

"He's been wiping tears and stuff on his hand. You don't want to get his germs. We should be going. Thanks for showing me around. See you in class tomorrow," I say quickly. By now 46 has noticed why I stepped between Kaoru and himself. He shoved his hands in his pocket and smiled sheepishly at the ground as we took off back towards the apartment leaving Kaoru standing there confused.


	9. Chapter 9

**Short little filler chapter. I'm tired! Sorry! Next chapter is in Kaoru's point of view! Yay.**

 **DISCLAIMER**

* * *

 **Hikaru's POV**

"Hikaru, are you ready yet?" Kazukiyo called from the kitchen. I was standing in my room infront of a mirror. I had been dressed for a long time, but I was no where near ready. I had never had to keep my cover for so long infront of humans and I had never felt so human the way I did around Kaoru. It was dangerous. I had a mission to focus on.

"I guess so," I responded as I came in the kitchen. He was devouring a bowl of cereal we had bought at the store. I couldn't blame him. The food we had eaten last night was delicious compared to the food we had been served at HARC. I've never had anything like it, or if I had in my human life I certainly didn't remember it now. He put down the bowl in the sink and eyed me carefully.

"You'll be fine you know. It won't be so bad. Don't look so nervous," He said smiling at me. This was easier for him than it was me. School was his element. He knew our classmates and he knew who he was. All I knew was that Kaoru had met something to me when I was alive and that the thought of school didn't nessecarily appeal to me.

"I'm not nervous," I responded grabbing my bag and storming out before him. He caught up quickly of course. I still counted on him to lead us there. As much as I didn't care about school, the faster I tracked down the reboot hunter, the sooner I could return to what I know best back at HARC.

We walked in a comfortable silence the rest of the way to school. Kazukiyo had a million different emotions cross his face in the span of the short walk. Overall, I could tell that being back here at Ouran brought a sense of peace to him. This was what he knew best. He was going to be a vital part of this mission whether I liked it or not.

He glanced back at me as we walked through the doors. I nodded at him to continue to class. I wanted a minute to myself again before heading up. I stood by Kazukiyo's memorial and looked over his pictures. He looked so much different than he does now. It made me wonder once again, what I had once looked like. As hard as I tried, I couldn't conjure up any image of myself, but I did see Kaoru every time I tried.

Kaoru, I hadn't been able to get him off my mind since seeing him for the first time. He had said that I was his best friend, but that was all I knew other than the fact that he meant a lot to me. When I was around him, I felt protective. We must've been really close for me to feel that way.

And then there was Tamaki, whom I didn't know my relationship to at all, but I did know that he was the only human I remembered from my human life. Well, his face anyway. I would be wiling to bet that I knew the rest of the host club in one way or another, but I wasn't completely sure. I thought about asking Kazukiyo, but the last thing I wanted to do was learn about myself from someone else. If it was really that important I'd figure it out. Besides. I'm a completely different person now.

"Hey Hunter, do you want to keep standing there and staring into space, or do you want to come to class like the rest of us?"A voice sounded behind me. It was Kaoru of course. I think of him and he appears, isn't that how the best friend thing works?

"Class sounds like a drag. I'd rather not, but I guess I have to. You look tired. Late night?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Eh, yeah I guess. I was out late and didn't sleep when I got home," Kaoru shrugged. He began walking towards the class room, so I followed almost like a lost puppy. I hated it.

"I can relate to the late night thing," I said agreeing. I had been up all night adding new sketches into my sketchbook. All of which were of Kaoru, but I couldn't really explain that to him.

"I just want to go home and sleep. I shouldn't have come to school today," Kaoru mumbled absently to himself.

"If you had done that, who would get me to class on time?" I asked him with an amused smile. He chuckled as we entered the room and I took a seat next to him with Kazukiyo on my other side.

The lesson was long and I barely paid attention. I knew most of what the teacher was saying. Kazukiyo on the other hand was an avid note taker. I had to hand it to him. I couldn't pay attention long enough to take notes. It didn't matter, I wasn't here for school.

"I'm going to study in the library. I'll see you at home?" Kazukiyo asked me as we were dismissed. I sighed and nodded. Kaoru approached me once Kazukiyo was out of the room.

"How about we hang out or something? We can get something to eat or something?" He asked. I smiled and nodded. It would be better than going to an empty apartment.

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Like it? Have any thoughts? Please review, even criticism makes my day!


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! This is short and kind of rushed because I was very busy when I wrote it. Sorry about that!**

 **DISCLAIMER**

* * *

 **Kaoru's POV**

"So let me get this straight, you've never had pancakes?" I ask laughing as Hunter and I walk down the street.

"Never. We lived a very strict life up until now. There are a lot of things I've never done. It's super lame," Hunter chuckled in gradually perked up more from his gloomy self as we walked and talked more.

"Well, that's going to change now that you know me. You're super behind on life experiences, but I think we can catch you up. It may not be too late for you after all," I tell him as I pull open the door to the diner. He nods a thank you at me and walks in.

We sit in a booth near the window and each look over the menu. He looks amazed as he takes in all the options. It was almost as if he had never seen a menu. It really made me wonder what his family was like for him to have led such a sheltered life.

"When is your curfew?" I asked Hunter. He looked up at me and cocked his head.

"Curfew?" He asked.

"What time will your family be expecting you home?" Now I was really curious about his family. I had figured someone that seemed so sheltered would have a curfew.

"It's just Keenan and I in our apartment. He'll call if he needs me," Hunter answers setting the menu on the table.

"Just the two of you? What about your parents? You're not old enough to live on your own," Hunter has me more than interested now. Sure, Mom is never home because of worl, but I have the maids. Hunter and Keenan only have eachother. How did they get anyone to sell them an apartment?

"Our parents... They work overseas helping to cure illness in other countries," He said with a blank expression. His response was really slow, almost like he had to think about it. I ignored it. Family might be a touchy subject for him the way it was with Kyouya.

The waitress took our orders. We both got pancakes. I wasn't going to give Hunter much of a choice. He was too old to not have experienced pancakes at least once. When the food came, it seemed I had made a good choice because Hunter devoured it.

"If you eat any faster, you might consume the plate if you're not careful," I chuckled. He paused and looked up at me, a sheepish smile crossing his face.

"Where I come from, food is not so good. No one really cared how it tasted just that we were fed. I didn't know anything could taste so good. Especially this," He said holding up the syrup. I laughed. It was a personal favorite of mine too.

"Hey, can I ask something?" I asked him. I didn't want to over step my bounds, but a question had been on my mind since yesterday. He nodded at me. "Why was Keenan crying at Kazukiyo's memorial?"

Hunter looked uncomfortable at my question. He set his fork down and remained silent for at least a minute. "Keenan was always close to Kazukiyo. We were cousins," He said softly.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to stir anything up," I said softly. He stood quickly.

"No, I'm sorry. I should go. I'll see you tomorrow," He said as he fished a couple of bills from his pocket and threw them on the table. He left abruptly.

I followed shortly after paying the bill. The sun was setting and I had hunting to do. I had my driver bring me my duffel bag that I stored my equipment in. A black jacket with a large hood to hide my face, black pants, a box with a microphone to disguise my voice, and a pistol.

There was one alley in the city that was dark. I called it reboot alley. They used it as their check in point from missions. Tonight, I would wait in the shadows for a reboot to walk down it and check in with whatever-whoever their higher ups were.

I flipped my hood up and kept my head down as I headed towards the alley. It was dark, lit by one flickering light. At the end of it under the light was a figure, leaning against the wall. He wore a motorcycle helmet concealing his face and protecting his head. The only way to kill a reboot was to destroy their brain, so they all wore those same helmets. He wore all black like me.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show," The monster was undoubtedly grinning a twisted grin at me under that helmet. "I've been here waiting for you for a long time," He said making the mocking motion of checking a wrist watch. It was 187. No other reboot had been so cocky in my presence. Plus, he clearly knew who I was. I had been planning on torturing whatever reboot came through here for information on 187's whereabouts, but here he found me.

"You killed my brother," I growled. It surprised me that I had said that. I usually kept my banter to a minimum, but this was the entire point of the mission. Here was Hikaru's killer right infront of me. It was time that there was vengence for Hikaru.

"I'd ask you to be more specific, but maybe hearing your screams will jog my memory. No worries, you'll be with him soon enough," He sounded bored as he pushed off of the wall. I was done with talking. I was done with standing there. This was happening now.

He had been sent to take me out. Here we were, each with a mission to kill the other. Only one of us would be walking out of this alley alive.

* * *

 **So Hikaru and Kaoru finally meet in battle, but what does it mean for our favorite twins? Stay tuned to find out.**

 **I would like to thank everyone that reviewed. The reviews always make my day because I like knowing how people feel about this story. :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**So I felt bad because of how bad last chapter was. I wrote it on the fly and I have trouble writing from Kaoru's point of view because I've never done it. I wrote this one because I came up with an underlying plot line today and decided I needed this to happen. I'm not so good at fight scenes, so yeah. :P**

 **I did my best.**

 **DISCLAIMER**

* * *

 **Hikaru's POV**

I should've known that going to hang out with Kaoru was a mistake. I had been enjoying our time together. However, Kaoru began questioning me and I wasn't fully prepared yet. I hadn't bothered to come up with full proof stories yet.

Another issue was that hanging out with Kaoru felt natural when I wasn't frantically trying to keep my cover. I felt bad for leaving hastily, but I had to. I couldn't let myself be comfortable with this. I was on a mission and I couldn't lose sight of that. That's exactly why I decided that I needed to speed this process up. I sent Kazukiyo a text to inform him of my plan.

The boss had texted me telling me that the hunter frequented the alley we reported to at the end of our missions sometimes. We used it so that HARC could strip us of heavy artillary before heading back to base, if they worried the armed reboot would turn on them with the guns. It was a sign of trust more or less. I had never given them an issue and therefore had never had to be stripped in the alley. Most often, the reboots that have to report to the alley are eliminated shortly after. HARC takes no chances and has no tolerance.

It took the hunter longer to show up than expected. He couldn't even talk a good game. I'd been assassinating people for three years now. How was I supposed to remember one guy?

We walked towards each other. He had a pistol, but no other visible weapons. I had a pocket knife that I had bought earlier at a gas station and my hands. Since the hunter was human, my hands would suffice.

"How ironic would it be if you were to reboot after I killed you?" I chuckled menacingly at the thought. The hunter becoming the very thing he hunted seemed like a fitting punishment for him.

"I hope you go back to hell once I kill you," He growled in return. I rolled my eyes. How original.

He threw a punch at me, hitting me in the chest. It was a hard punch and he had better form than Kazukiyo any day, but it wasn't enough to wound me. He squared up again and his second punch came, but this time I caught his fist before he made contact and squeezed until I felt the bone crack. The hunter made some sort of noise as he choked back a scream. Not so tough now.

I kept my grip on his hand as I quickly spun around him and kicked out the back of his legs causing him to crumple to the ground. It was the manuver Kazukiyo had used on me. I place two hands on the sides of the hunters head. All it would take was the neck being broken and then the mission would be over much sooner than anyone had estimated. The hunter wasn't nearly as tough as they made him sound. He had obviously underestimated me. I had very little tolerance for that.

Before I could act on it, there was pain in my legs and I crumpled to the ground next to the hunter. It took me a moment to realize I'd been shot. In the front of the alley stood Kyouya Ootori aiming a gun at me.

I was shocked intially, but then I remember Kaoru telling me his family owned medical business and a police force. Of course he would know about reboots.

He kept his gun aimed at me as he moved closer to us. My leg was starting to heal and I pushed myself onto my feet. Wrong move, he shot me again and I was right back on the ground. I growled as the first bullet entrance closed completely.

Kyouya knelt next to the hunter who was clutching his fist against his chest and breathing deeply.

"Are you ok, Kaoru?" He asked quietly, but my enhanced hearing picked it up. The hunter nodded. I pushed back onto my feet and slowly began to back away. Kyouya lifted his gun again, but before he could shoot it I took off running. My legs had healed and I needed to be out of there. I was gone, or so they thought. I stopped in the shadows to listen to them because I thought I'd heard Kyouya use the name Kaoru.

"Why are you out here fighting with a reboot this close. You usually wait for them to remove their helmets and then take a head shot from the roof. Do you know how reckless this was?" Kyouya asked as he pulled the hunter to his feet.

"That one is 187. He killed my brother," The hunter responded firmly. He was stubborn, like me, but he wore it as a weakness,

"How could you possibly know that?" Kyouya sounded angry.

"The guy that told me about all of this told me that it was him. I have to kill him," The hunter sounded determined.

"Your brother wouldn't have wanted you to get yourself killed trying to avenge him. You need to take care of yourself Kaoru, this reboot stuff has gone too far," Kyouya sighed.

I didn't stay for the rest of the conversation. As soon as I heard Kyouya say Kaoru, I was out of there immediately wishing for it to not be true. There had to be some other Kaoru. Some other explanation. If there wasn't, I was going to have to kill Kaoru Hitachiin.

The next day at school Kaoru came in with a broken hand and I knew that there was no other explanation. For the first time in my time as a reboot, I knew this was going to be my hardest mission yet.

* * *

 **So yeah. I needed Hikaru to know Kaoru was the hunter, so that I could start to write more. I feel like we were far enough along for a revelation. xD There are many more to come. Two updates in one day... Wow.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hikaru's POV**

"Hikaru, are you even listening to me?" Kazukiyo asked as he stacked his text books up neatly. For the past half hour he had been rambling on about how he had been re-elected class representative and other things. I immediately tuned him out. There were other things on my mind.

"Of course," I mumbled looking over at him absently.

"Liar," He sighed under his breath. I rolled my eyes. "I asked you if you had any leads on the hunter," He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, no. Nothing," I lied. I hadn't been able to get what happened last week off my mind. I had found out my only human friend Kaoru was my target and that he was my target because I killed his brother sending him on a vengeful rampage.

"You've seemed so off since you went out last week. Did something happen between you and Kaoru? I noticed you've been brushing him off and avoiding him this week," Kazukiyo crossed his arms and stared at me. He sounded like a parent.

"Kaoru was a distraction to the mission. It's better for everyone that I avoid him," I reasoned, but it was for my sake not Kazukiyo's. It was hard to stay away from the only link I really had to my human life. Other than Tamaki Suoh, but I'm still not entirely sure where he fit into everything. I didn't care to find out either.

Kazukiyo didn't have any follow up questions for me, so we left the apartment and walked to school in silence.

Kaoru wasn't in the class room when school started. It was like a breath of relief for me. Kaoru always went out of his way to talk to me even though I had been cutting them short all week. It was an uncomfortable rhythm, but I didn't want to grow closer to Kaoru. I didn't want to know more about me, nor did I want to feel more human. I wasn't human, Kaoru had a habit of making me forget that.

In typical me fashion, I zoned out when the teacher started talking. I wasn't interested in learning about art history. I was more interested in physics or math, suprisingly. Well, interested might be an over statement. I was better at physics or math. It came naturally. It must have been something I was good at in my human life.

"Mr. Hitachiin," The teacher stopped teaching abruptly. I looked up. Hitachiin was my last name, but the teacher shouldn't know that. It was my human name. "You know how I feel about tardies," The teacher crossed her arms.

Tardies? I wasn't tardy. I raised an eyebrow, but the teacher wasn't looking at me. The teacher was staring at the door where a sheepish Kaoru stood rubbing the back of his head with his good hand mumbling an apology. The teacher shook her head and waved him in.

His last name was Hitachiin? That would make us related. If I killed Kaoru's brother was there a chance I had killed my own brother? I had to know what the truth was. This has gotten too far. If I had killed my own brother, I would never forgive myself. I couldn't kill another one now. I was finally starting to figure out why Kaoru meant so much to me. There was no going back now. I couldn't just be the reboot that I was before I got here. I was some hybrid mix now of the reboot 187 and the human Hikaru Hitachiin.

"Hey Kaoru," I greeted as school ended. Kaoru looked a little surprised when I addressed him, but that was understandable.

"You're in a good mood today," Kaoru commented with a pleasant smile. He was so nice.

"I was thinking we could hang out again..?" I asked him doing my best to sound casual. This was something I had never done before. I was a little nervous that it seemed suspicious. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, Kaoru was dangerous to me. He could find out that I'm a reboot and do away with me because I wasn't sure I had the will to kill him first.

"Uh yeah, sure. My mom just left on a business trip, so my place?" He asked seeming a little confused, but he didn't ask me why. He seemed happy none the less. We had been fast friends last week after all.

"Great!" I responded giving Kazukiyo a wave as I walked out with Kaoru. He was smiling at me.

"Should we have asked your brother along?" Kaoru asked letting me get into his limo first. I slid across the seat, so Kaoru could get in. It was amazing. The HARC van was no where near as luxurious. I think my face must've betrayed my amazement. Kaoru started laughing at me. After a second, I laughed with him too. We really laughed when I saw how big his mansion was.

"How do you not get lost in here?" I asked as he lead me to his room. Something about the whole place seemed oddly familiar to me, but that didn't surprise me. At this point I wasn't sure anything else could.

"I've lived here my whole life. Spent my whole childhood exploring these halls. Those were better days," He spoke softly on the last part. His room looked beyond familiar to me. I took a couple steps around it. On the bedside table, there was picture frame. I picked it up and nearly dropped it. It was Kaoru and right next to him was an exact mirror image of Kaoru. Kaoru noticed me holding it and smiled sadly. "That's my brother Hikaru."

The picture fell from my hands. That was me. "Did you have another brother too?" I barely choked out. Kaoru shook his head.

I didn't kill his brother. I was his brother. HARC had sent me to kill my twin knowing if I failed I would be eliminated. Why did Kaoru think I killed Hikaru? Who was the one that told him and how did he even find out about the existence of reboots?

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Three chapters in two days? Oh my. See you all at the next update!


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm sorry it's taken me forever to update. I've been so busy lately. T-T Thank you to all the readers and reviewers. You guys truly motivate me to keep writing this story.**

 **This chapter is a little bit of bonding between our favorite twins. The next few chapters will have more action especially with Hikaru's approaching death day.**

 **DISCLAIMER**

* * *

 **Hikaru's POV**

"Everyone loved Hikaru. He was friends with everyone and so much fun to be around," Kaoru said as he bent over and picked up the photo I had dropped.

"Kaoru, how did your brother die?" I asked slowly, forcing the words from my mouth. Kaoru looked at me as if he were questioning my odd behavior. I'm sure he was. I would be.

"He was murdered," Kaoru spoke after what seemed like ages. Yeah, I knew that. My death day was only a month away. It would be the fouth time I'd experienced the same murder. I wasn't looking forward to it.

"By who?" My voice was barely there. I knew what Kaoru thought, but I needed to hear it.

"You wouldn't believe me," Kaoru muttered as he sat the photo back on the bedside table.

"I will," I whispered looking him in the eye.

"Hikaru was killed by a creature called a reboot. They're these things that aren't human. They wake up after they die. I don't know why, but they cause trouble in around here. One of them killed my brother," Kaoru shook his head and watched my face for a reaction. I didn't give him one.

"And you're hunting them now?" I asked softly. Kaoru looked confused.

"How did you know that?" He asked me obviously confused.

"You didn't break your hand on a fall down the stairs. You're not a very good liar," I told him with a sigh. I still hadn't figured out how to avoid killing Kaoru without getting myself killed. If I didn't do it they were going to keep sending reboots after Kaoru until he really was dead. Kaoru looked miserable. I could tell this conversation was really taking a toll on him.

"I'm looking for the one that killed Hikaru, but also because no family deserves to go through what mine did. It's not fair," Kaoru mumbled. His eyes were filling with tears. I wish I could offer comfort, but I can't think of any. "It's not fair," He mumbled even more softly.

"Kao, if these things are ruthless enough to kill people, I don't think you should be hunting them. Hikaru wouldn't want you to get hurt. He would want you to live your life to the fullest," I told him. Every word out of my mouth was the truth, but Kaoru didn't know that. He didn't look convinced.

"I'm not doing it for him. I'm doing it for me," Kaoru was sobbing by now. I awkwardly put my arm around him. I was gentle to make sure I didn't hurt him. Humans were fragile. Kaoru stiffened, but eventually relaxed. If only he knew he was seeking comfort in the arms of the very monster he hated. I felt remorse for deceiving him, but as his brother, he needed me more than ever. I wish I could be there for him as Hikaru. That's who he needed the most. "You remind me of him," Kaoru said softly after a minute. I stepped away from him.

"What do you mean?" I asked a little worried that he was going to figure it out.

"I don't know how to describe it. You two have different personalities. He was always joking or overdramatic. You joke around, but tend to act like you're emotionless and mellow. There are times that it's like you two are the same person. It's uncanny. You two even sound alike. I think that might be why we were such fast friends," Kaoru said. I had never considered whether or not my voice changed. I had assumed it did, but if Kaoru recognized it maybe it hadn't. That gave me an idea.

Maybe if I snuck into Kaoru's house at night, I could speak to him as Hikaru and tell him to stop hunting reboots. He was asking to get himself hurt. If he heard it from 'Hikaru's ghost' maybe he would listen. I had to give it a try. Getting Kaoru to stop hunting reboots was the first step to saving his life.

"I'm sorry if I bring up painful memories. You could've told me," I said to Kaoru, but the truth was up until this point I don't think I would've been able to handle this. Kaoru was now my top priority. I had to save him from HARC, but first I had to save myself from him.

"It isn't fair for me to pull you into my sob story. I'm ok really," Kaoru said, but it was a lie.

"You're not ok Kao," I said to him.

"I know," He answered sitting on the bed. I wanted to make it better for him. He was my brother, but I couldn't help him. I couldn't save him from himself. We'd be lucky if I could save him from myself.

"You should get some sleep," I said facing the door. I hadn't realized before how exhausted Kaoru looked.

"Sleep isn't going to catch my brothers killer," Kaoru said with a yawn. I bit my cheek.

"You're not going out there tonight," I insisted, but Kaoru didn't seem to be paying attention. His eyes were closed and I knew he wasn't leaving his room for the rest of the night. Within minutes, he was asleep. I sat on his bedside and watched him. We used to share a bed. I remembered that, but that wasn't much. It wasn't nearly enough. Something told me that in order to save Kaoru, I needed to learn more about my human self.

"I'm going to make this better Kaoru," I whispered and then I stood and let myself out of his room. I stopped once I found the front door and turned around. The place I had once called home wasn't home anymore, but I missed it.

"Goodbye," I whispered into the empty air and closed the door behind me.

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Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! This is really choppy and kind of bad. You wouldn't believe how bad my head hurts from writing this chapter, but I couldn't leave you guys waiting. I have a concussion, I'm doing my best, but using my computer gives me quite the headache.**

 **DISCLAIMER**

* * *

 **Hikaru's POV**

"Hikaru, you look awful, do reboots even get sick? I think you're sick. You should stay home from school today," Kazukiyo mumbled as he brushed his teeth. I was sitting at our kitchen table. I wasn't sick, I was exerting more human qualitites. My death was only a few hours away and as always before reliving it, I was reverting a little bit.

"Today is the day I died. I'm not going to school," I respond lifting my coffee mug to my mouth. It would be the first time I didn't have to do work on my death day. Kazukiyo looked at me sympathetically. Naturally, he knew how I died. Everyone knew how I died. I wasn't sure I could face Kaoru today if he decided to go to school. I doubted that anyone held him to anything on this day.

I migrated from the kitchen table to the couch and laid down. I wouldn't be able to sleep, but maybe I could watch TV and distract myself. Kazukiyo had been trying to teach me how to use the thing.

"I'm leaving then. Text me if you need anything," Kazukiyo called. He lingered in the door way for a minute before leaving once he realized I wouldn't be answering him.

This day in particular always made me question whether or not my life ended or began after I died. Up until just now I always sided on the 'my life began after I died', but now I was leaning more towards the other option. Part of me wished that I had never been sent on this mission. Kaoru was tearing me to shreads. I wasn't entirely sure who I was anymore.

The TV proved to be a very good distraction. Before I knew it, it was noon. The only reason I was pulled from the show I was watching was my ringtone. I stared at the caller ID. It read:

 **Kaoru**

I didn't have Kaoru's phone number and he shouldn't have mine. My phone was given to me by HARC, so it was odd. I had never bothered to go through the contacts. I figured all that I would find was Kazukiyo and a way to contact HARC. Hesitantly, I lift the phone to my ear as if I'm going to answer it, but I can't bring myself to do so. It feels wrong to me.

Finally, the phone stops ringing. I breathe a sigh of relief, but the phone beeps telling me that I have a voicemail. I flip the phone open to listen to it, but it asks me for a password. Biting my lip I try, 1234. That wasn't it. 4321, nope. 0000, and a voice speaks again, " _You have three new voicemails."_

I press one to hear voicemails. The first one dates three years back. I immediately recognize Kaoru's voice.

 _"Hikaru, it's been a year now since you've been gone and I miss you more than ever. High school isn't everything we thought it'd be. I am still with the host club because they have been great to me this year. We have new member. Her name is Haruhi. No, she hasn't replaced you. No one could replace you, but I can say you would've really loved her. She would've been great for our games. They still haven't caught your killer, but I am going to. I'm going to get justice for you Hikaru. I'm going to get justice because it's the only thing I can do. Nothing is going to bring you back to me. I feel more alone than ever. I still have our friends, but it's not the same. As kind as they've been, they treat me like I'm a bomb about to blow up. I miss you Hikaru. I'll see you again one day."_

The line went dead. The next one was dated exactly a year later. Same person.

 _"Two years now. I can't believe it Hikaru. The last time we spoke was two years ago. I call your phone because it's the only comfort I get today. It's the closest I can get to talking to you. I wonder where you left your phone. You were always losing it. We never found it after you died, so you must've left it in an odd place. This year was harder than last, can you believe that? I did a bad thing this year. I tried to join you where ever you are now. I'm sorry. I was weak. I'll be stronger for you. I let you down. I hope you can forgive me. I am still with the host club. They all miss you too. Not as much as me of course. There's not much to tell you this year. Hopefully next year is better. "_

The line goes dead. I feel sick after that one. He tried to kill himself? My heart dropped as the next one began. This one was from today.

 _"Hey Hikaru, I think someone finally found your phone. It rang today which means it's on. If anyone is listening to this, I implore you to turn this phone back off and return it to where you found it. Anyway, Hikaru, this year was a little better in comparison to last year. I am still with the host club, but I made another friend too. His name is Hunter and he reminds me of you. He looks out for me and keeps my best interest in mind. He's like a brother. He of course, has not replaced you, but he's the closest thing I have to you. He's a little wierd though. It's like he's hiding something. I told him something that I can't bring myself to tell you and he got really quiet like he knew all about it. I think he isn't letting on about something. I want tofind out what it is. Just incase. You never know with anyone. I miss you still Hikaru. I wish you could meet Hunter. We connected really fast. I wish you were still here. We all do."_

The line went dead. A single tear ran down my face. I wanted to tell him everything, but how would he feel if he knew his beloved brother was the creature he hated? Another question came to mind. Why did HARC have my cell phone and why did they return it to me?

I had a sudden impulse. Clicking through the contacts, I dialed Kaoru. It rang once before he picked up.

"Hello," He said, but it ended up being more of a question.

"Kaoru," My voice cracked and a few more tears ran down my face.

"... Hikaru?" He asked in a longing tone. More tears.

"It's me Kao," I whispered.

"I don't understand. How?" He asked me. He was crying.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're ok and taking care of yourself,"I said to him. He stayed quiet with a couple of sobs. "You're risking your life out there Kaoru. This isn't what I want for you. I want you to be with the host club, I want you to enjoy high school, and I want you to make more friends."

"But Hikaru, I'm so close to catching who killed you," He sobbed into the line.

"You're not Kaoru. You aren't close at all and now you're being hunted too," It was my turn to have my voice waver in the line.

"What do you mean too?" Kaoru asked. I realized I slipped up.

"It doesn't matter. Kaoru, your life matters. That's all," I told him.

"How do you know that I'm risking my life?" Kaoru's voice was barely there. I inhaled deeply taking a moment before I responded.

"I am always right here next to you," My voices cracks as tears drip from my cheeks down onto the couch creating little wet spots.

"You're not Hikaru. You're not here next to me. You're dead," Kaoru's voice was stronger with a hint of anger.

"I'm closer than you think. I need you to believe that," I tell him.

"You don't get to boss me around anymore Hikaru. Getting revenge for what they did to you is the only thing I have left to live for," He said. I've never heard him sound so hopeless. It broke my heart.

"Kao, I wasn't killed by the reboot you've been hunting," I reason. I was trying to keep myself out of this, but it seemed inevitable.

"What do you mean you weren't killed by that reboot?" He asked quickly.

"I mean just that Kaoru, I wasn't killed by that reboot. You're risking your life for nothing," I tell him quickly.

"I will catch your killer," Kaoru countered with a promise.

"I don't want you to. I'm at pea-" I stop talking when a cut opens up on my arm. A few more follow and I scream as I feel a phantom fist connect with my ribcage. I hate screaming. This was the first of my many hours of slow torture before death. "I love you Kao. Don't forget that," I choke out between screams and flip the phone shut. I wish I had more recollection of why I was being tortured before I finally died, but I didn't.

I gritted my teeth and screamed again. Not because of the physical pain I was in, but because of Kaoru and how truly human I felt in this moment.

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Emotional chapter for the twins. Review for the rest of Hikaru's death day.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry this took so long. I've been so busy!**

 **DISCLAIMER**

* * *

 **Kaoru's POV**

Different emotions were overwhelming me, but I couldn't tell which one felt the strongest. Pain, longing, regret, and confusion all struck me at once. Not only was it the day Hikaru died, but I had just received a phone call from my dead brother? I wasn't sure how to feel.

I dialed the number back, but there was no response this time. I didn't even bother with a voicemail. It had sounded like he was trying to tell me he was at peace, but he cried out in pain. I bit my lip until I could taste rust. I paid no mind to this. My primary concern was on the phone call. Could a ghost feel pain? No, a ghost couldn't make a phone call. There had to be some other explanation. What if Hikaru wasn't actually dead? Was that even a possibility?

I open my phone and dial Kyouya. He picks up after the first ring.

"This better be good Kaoru. I was in the middle of class," Kyouya sounded annoyed.

"I need you to ping Hikaru's cell phone," I say quickly. Kyouya is silent for a minute.

"You sound shaken. What's wrong?" Kyouya asked me. I feel a lump rise in my throat as I start to cry again. After Hikaru died, in many ways Kyouya took to looking after me. The king of darkness had become a shoulder for me to cry on, my voice of reason, and the one to step in and stop me from doing so many things I would've regretted. Not to mention he saved my life on more than one occasion.

"I just need you to do it please," I asked sounding desperate. I was full on sobbing and crying. I couldn't explain what had just happened to me. Kyouya would think I was crazy and he would never help me.

"Ok, give me a few minutes. Kaoru, you need to calm down. Take some deep breaths. Today is an emotional day for you. Where are you?" Kyouya asked me sounding tired. He was worried about me. I almost feel bad.

"I'm at home. I'm fine. I'm calm. Don't worry about me Kyouya," I say collecting myself the best I can. Not for me, but so he doesn't see it fit to pop in and check on me today.

"You're lying, but I wouldn't expect you to be completely fine today. I'll text you the ping address and call you later. Do not do anything stupid today Kaoru," Kyouya said and then he hung up the phone. I sighed, but I appreciated his concern. It was easier to have Kyouya know everything than it would be to go through it alone.

A couple of minutes later the address appears on my phone. The ping tracked the phone back to a small commoners' apartment complex in town. Luckily, Kyouya was able to come up with an apartment number as well. It was an odd place for Hikaru's phone to end up, but there had to be answers there. Answers and maybe even closure. 10 minutes and then I would be there.

I don't count on the driver for this one. Instead, I pick up my bike and pedal in the direction of the apartment complex. Once there, I climb the stairs and stand outside a door. Trying the knob, I'm relieved to find that it is unlocked. With ease, I slip in undetected.

 **(** _ **Italics= Hikaru's POV death as a human.**_ **Normal= Kaoru's POV)**

I looked around the apartment. It was a neat little place. The TV was on, but no one was in sight. I walked over to where the couch was and found what I was looking for. Hikaru's cell phone. I pocketed the device and looked for whoever had been talking to me on it. I knew it wasn't Hikaru. If Hikaru was out there he would've told me.

 _The door began to creak open. I knew that I would only have one shot at fighting my way out. I only had one bullet to put where it would do the most damage, but where was that? I suddenly couldn't remember at all what I was supposed to do. Even breathing seemed to require thought at this point. The man with a face I could not see stepped into the room. I lifted the gun taking aim for the brain, but when I pull the trigger, the bullet whizzes straight past his head. I was going to have to fight my way out. I charge him, holding my gun in my hand. It was all I had to defend myself with. I would need a miracle. The man had a dagger that he kept lashing out at me with. I put my arms up the way I had been taught to block the attacks, but he was slicing the skin on my arms open. Several cuts were already open on my arms. How long could I last with the blood loss?_

"Kaoru?" Hunter coughed trying to expel the phantom water from his lung. I stood still and shocked seeing my friend Hunter in his true form. Deathly pale skin and bright yellow eyes. Attributes that both gave away his identity as a reboot. I could feel my heart beginning to break and judging by the look on Hunter's face he could see it as well.

"You lied to me," I forced out the words from the door frame. I took a few steps backwards as Hunter lunged forward again into the bath tub face first. There was no water in it, but his face was turning bright red as if he were suffocating. He was struggling against something that wasn't there. When he came up again, he started coughing and gasping for breath.

 _"You're a failure. You can't even save yourself," The man growled in my ear. I open my mouth to protest, but he's right. The only thing I managed to do was protect the one closest to me. As long as he was safe and alive, I could be at ease. I shake my head. "Do it," I growl in return. I wouldn't show him any fear. He didn't deserve to see it. He shoves my head into the water and this time I don't fight it. I knew I didn't have much time left whether it be from the lack of oxygen or the blood loss. My body went limp and for 187 minutes I was dead._

The final blow came and not fast enough. I didn't know what to do when I watched Hunter's body go limp at the bath tub. At first I stepped forward to see if he was going to get back up, but then suddenly Hunter shot up breathing deep and seemingly unaffected by what had just happened. I took a big step backwards, but didn't run. Hunter stood slowly, tugging on his sleeves, which were stained with blood, and coming towards me.

"Stay right there or I will kill you where you stand," I say knowing that I sounded frazzled. How could Hunter be a reboot when he was so human?

"Please, do it," He responded coughing. He looked conflicted. Was this a trick, or did he really want to die by hand?

"This is how you knew I was the reboot hunter. Tell me, why did you get close to me?" I asked him doing my best to hold it together. I had so many questions.

"I didn't know it was you when I came here. I don't want to hurt you Kaoru. You've been playing with fire," He said stepping closer to me still, but I stepped backwards again. He looked defeated.

"Did you call me from my brother's phone and pretend to be him?" I ask pulling the phone out of my pocket.

"Yes." The tears find their way back to my eyes.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"My mission was to kill you. If you kill me now, they'll keep sending reboots after you until you are dead. I don't want you to die" He says softly. It makes sense. He's the reboot from the alley.

"Are you 187?" I ask him, but I know the answer.

"Yes."

"Did you kill my brother?"

"No." I search his face for something that suggests he's lying. Is it possible that he's telling the truth?

"What's your name?" I ask looking at his arms.

"Hunter," He says meeting my gaze finally.

"Your real name," I say forcefully. He shakes his head.

"It is not one you know," He says after a long pause. I decide to ignore this.

"What was that in there?" I ask pointing at the bathroom.

"It's a reboot thing. Don't worry about it," He's getting a little bit more comfortable with me. I'm uncomfortable with that.

"Keenan?" I ask thinking about his brother.

"My apprentice," He looks at the ground.

"Name?" I ask him hoping to get more of an answer out of him this time.

"Kazukiyo Soga," He says causing my eyes to widen. I never would've guessed that Class Rep rebooted. I bite the inside of my cheek. I could kill Hunter, but could I harm Class Rep? He takes this time to ask his own question. "Have you ever interacted with a reboot other than myself other than to kill them?"

"No, I haven't," I answer unsure where he's going with it.

"We aren't really that bad. It's the people in charge. They threaten us if we don't do their dirty work. We're fighting for survival, not because we want to," He tells me. He's right. I actually enjoyed the time we spent together. I never would've figure out he was a reboot if I hadn't just walked in on him, but what if he's deceiving me?

"What do they want with the research stolen from the hospital?" I ask him. At first he looks confused, but then recognition shows in his face.

"I didn't question it. If I didn't steal it, they would've killed Kazukiyo," He said looking towards the door as if someone was about to walk through it. "It can't be anything good though," He muttered. The look on his face said he was mildly concerned. He cared about Kazukiyo's well being.

"Come on. You're coming with me," I said walking towards the door. I couldn't discern how I felt about him lying to me. I didn't know if we could be friends after this breach of trust he knew I hated reboots.

"Where?" He asked following me.

"To talk to Kyouya about how dangerous the information in those files were."

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Thanks for reading!

Review for more!


	16. Chapter 16

**This is entirely too late. I'm so sorry. On a side note, I'm so excited about the story arc we're coming up on in this.**

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 **Hikaru's POV**

I didn't fight Kaoru when he asked me to go with him. He was right, if HARC wanted it badly enough to threatened Kazukiyo's life, then whatever it was had to be dangerous. Reboots aren't common enough that HARC would feel comfortable reducing their numbers for no pay off. Even if Kazukiyo was weak and a poor excuse for a reboot.

"Wait here," Kaoru hissed as we came outside the doors to music room three. I nodded and adjusted the sunglasses I had grabbed on my way out of the apartment. My eyes made Kaoru uncomfortable. It was written all over his face. I made Kaoru uncomfortable. I hated that he knew what I was now. If I wasn't careful, he would figure out who I was and that would put him in more danger than he's already in.

He remerges a minute later with Kyouya in tow and breezes past me expecting me to follow. I do despite my natural instincts telling me not to. I didn't take orders from humans and yet here I was following Kaoru like a lost puppy trying to conjure the right words to apologize to him. Oh, how the tables had turned.

"Hello Hunter,"Kyouya addressed me properly after Kaoru led us into an empty classroom.

"Don't call him that. It isn't his name," Kaoru snapped. He glared at me.

"I don't understand," Kyouya says. If the situation was different, I might've snickered because Kyouya didn't strike me as the type to not understand anything. I removed the sunglasses allowing Kyouya to see my bright yellow eyes. His face became unreadable.

"He's a reboot," Kaoru said solemnly.

"Who is he?" Kyouya asked trying to decipher the situation in full.

"He said that we wouldn't know him," Kaoru answered. I was getting annoyed and decided to interject.

"I'm still a person, no need to talk as if I'm not right here," I say causing both men to look over at me. Both of their gazes are cold and harsh.

"You aren't a person. Never make that mistake. You are a killing machine," Kaoru snapped again. That hurt, but I didn't show it.

"I was a person once and I'm still here. I still draw breath. I still carry on conversations. I still feel emotions. I still eat food. I still go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. I died and I lost everything, but life goes on," I say sounding agitated. I hated that Kaoru was writing me off as a monster, but I was a monster. All the things I had done... I was a monster and Kaoru would never forgive me. If he knew I was his brother, his image of his brother would be forever ruined. I couldn't do that to him.

"Yeah, some life goes on. Some life doesn't," Kaoru said quickly. He was talking about me, well Hikaru. The brother he believed to be dead. "That's not why here though. We're here because we need to know what was in those files a reboot stole Kyouya. How dangerous is this situation?" Kaoru asked.

"The research in those files revolved around a virus called KDH. So far all we know is that it enters the blood stream and sits dormant once in the body. We also know how to create it and a cure for it," Kyouya said. My eyes widen as I'm sent into a memory.

 _"So you see, we won't hurt that darling twin brother of yours as long as you corporate with us Mr. Hitachiin," The man said to me. I narrowed my eyes at him. I was being blackmailed into something I didn't want to do. Big surprise there. I made a lot of mistakes in my life and it seemed that one by one, they were all coming back around to haunt me._

 _"Fine. What exactly is it?" I ask crossing my arms. I'm clearly unhappy with the situation. This man didn't look like anyone I wanted to be involved with. He was bigger than me and looked like he could snap me in half like a twig._

 _"There's this drug here," He held up a needle full of something. If I didn't know any better I'd say it looked just like an imunization shot. "It contains the KDH virus. You're going to be part of the trial run. It's going to make humans better," He said stepping towards me._

 _Like an idiot, I extended my arm. As long as he didn't go near Kaoru I didn't care what happened to me. He stuck the needle in so quickly that I flinched. Then, it was over._

 _"Is that all?" I asked just a second too soon. Every inch of my body started to burn. I crumpled to my knees and screamed like a little girl. It hurt so bad. It was the last pain I ever felt in my human life._

 _"Don't fail us . You don't want to know what we do to failures," The man's chilling voice cut through my screams and it's the last thing I seem to remember before fully blacking out._

"Hey... Hunter.. Hey," I blink and suddenly Kaoru is standing over top of me. The current situation comes rushing back.

"I'm sorry. It was a memory from my human life. This is bad?" I mumble not wanting them to know how shaken I was. Slowly, I push myself off the ground.

"You know about the KDH virus?" Kyouya asked me.

"The KDH virus was created to make humans better. It was meant to make them faster, stronger, and well, borderline invincible, but it came at a price. The effects were only activated after the infected died. It caused them to wake up after physiological death. The KDH virus is the difference between rebooting or not. It started out as a drug on the street and then most of the test subjects were killed. Some were smart enough to disappear and hide. That's how the KDH virus started to get passed down through bloodlines. HARC stole that research so that they can raise a reboot army," I say slowly giving them time to take the situation in. Both men exchange a glance. "I uh- I'm sorry Kyouya, did you say there was a cure?" I asked because I couldn't get that little bit off my mind. What if there was a cure?

"There is. It was discovered very recently," Kyouya said a little absently.

"So you're saying you could cure a reboot? Like me and then I could go home to my family?" I ask maybe a bit too hopefully.

"Theoretically, yes, but it's never been tested on a reboot. Only on the living with KDH," Kyouya said adjusting his glasses. I was about to offer myself as a test subject.

"If you ask me, I think all reboot scum should die. They aren't human anymore. We shouldn't waste resources on them," Kaoru was ignorant. This time I decide to push him a little bit.

"You're only saying that because Hikaru is dead, but if he had rebooted... Tell me things would be different," I challenge. In a flash he has me pinned against the wall and I don't bother fighting him.

"Never talk about my brother. You don't get to say his name," Kaoru said clearly upset with the chord I'd struck. However, I have every right to this conversation. He just doesn't know it.

"I just did. Not that it matters though," I growl biting my tongue at the last words I wanted to say. I couldn't drive the nail through the coffin like that.

"Can you two calm down long enough for us to discuss the real issue?" Kyouya interjected. I cast an annoyed glare at Kaoru and he cast one at me. "What are we going to do?" He asked us. I was surprised he didn't already have a plan.

"I'll tell you what. Hunter is going to get me access to the reboot base and I'm going to take the reseach back by force," Kaoru growled looking at me. I shook my head.

"Actually, I'm going to go and get the research myself. You're obviously human. No offense, but the reboots in there will kill you. I'm sure you remember the last time we fought. You barely walked out of it alive. If it weren't for Kyouya showing up, you'd be dead for sure. I however, can slip in, steal the files, and slip out before HARC figures out what happened," I reason. I can see I have Kyouya's vote, but Kaoru still stares at me as if he's about to snap on me.

"Why should I trust you to do that?" He asks me.

"I am the best chance you got," I say challenging his gaze with my own.

"What do you need to do for them to take you back there?" Kaoru asked. He wasn't happy, but he would go with the plan.

"I need to kill you," I say slowly. Kaoru's eyes widen and he gives a small nod.

"I'm ready to die. I'm ready to be with Hikaru again," He said with his voice softening at the mention of Hikaru.

"Kaoru, no," Kyouya snapped.

"Don't worry. I can't kill him," I say clenching my fists and storming out of the room. I was beyond frustrated. The only way back to HARC was the death of Kaoru Hitachiin.

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	17. Chapter 17

**Please don't punch me for this chapter. I've done awful things... Forgive me readers, for I have sinned.**

 **DISCLAIMER**

* * *

 **Hikaru's POV**

My hands were shaking as I held the phone to my ear. A week had passed since Kaoru learned my secret. He gave me the cold shoulder and glared at me every time I tried to talk to him. It made deciding my course of action difficult, but finally after a week I knew what I had to do to stop HARC and possibly save the human race.

"187," The voice of the man I knew as the boss sounded over the phone. I gulp. It took me a second before I could speak again.

"It's done. Kaoru Hitachiin is dead," Even my voice was shakey. The man was no doubt smiling on the other end of the line.

"Yes, you did good 187. I have received the security footage from the street camera. You are indeed a nice shot. There will be a van sent back to the apartment building. Gather your apprentice and meet it outside." The line went dead. I snapped the phone shut and inhaled deeply. I could do this.

The walk back to the apartment complex was short. I moved quickly and stuck to the shadows. If I went out in the light everyone would know what I just did. Kazukiyo noticed the second I walked back into the apartment.

"Hikaru, what did you do?" He asked me looking me over. I looked shaken no doubt. My dark brown hair was falling everywhere, my white button down shirt was splattered with blood... Kaoru's blood. His blood was even on my hands.

"I killed Kaoru Hitachiin, the hunter," I said trying to sound confident, but I couldn't. Not this time.

"Hikaru! You know he was your twin brother right?" Kazukiyo sounded distressed. He didn't know what to do. Neither did I. I was the one that had to live with what I had just done.

"I know who he was. Pack your things. We're leaving," I say disappearing into the bathroom to scrub the blood off my hands. It seemed likethe red tinted liquid just wouldn't wash off. It would be a constant reminder.

I look at myself in the mirror. Reboot number 187. I wasn't him anymore. Hikaru Hitachiin, no, I wasn't him either. It seemed to me that I was more of a puppet that could not for the life of me cut my strings, but was trying to. I had to stop HARC at all costs or the world would be full of reboots. The boss would become unstoppable with a reboot army by side. Kaoru understood the dangers of what that meant. He had to of.

Splashing water over my face, I let myself recall every little detail of what I did.

 _"Kaoru," I growled causing the ginger haired boy to turn and face me. I had been following him from the host club. He decided he would walk home tonight. It gave me the perfect window to execute my mission._

 _"What do you want now?" Kaoru asked narrowing his eyes. I didn't want anything, so I raised my gun and aimed for his chest. Kaoru's eyes widened considerably. "I knew that no matter what you said that you were the monster I suspected all along. Kill me. Prove me right," He said opening his arms. He was mocking me. He didn't think I would actually do it._

 _"You forgot something," I said releasing the safety._

 _"What's that?" He asked me._

 _"I don't feel remorse," I said and then pulled the trigger sending a bullet into Kaoru's chest._

 _He stumbled backwards with wide eyes, hands trying to cover the entry wound. I got closer to him and dropped the gun next to him. He was still. However, that was only half the job. I still had to dispose of the body. Taking a deep breath, I lifted a stiff Kaoru with ease. His blood was getting all over me. I tried to ignore it as I walked. I made sure no one was around when I shot Kaoru. That would've been too messy of a job. I trekked through the woods until I came out at a cliff in a local park and prepared to throw the body over it._

 _"Hunter, how could you?" It was Kyouya. I turned to see him standing there angry with tears streaming down his face._

 _"I had to," I say releasing the body from my arms and letting it fall._

 _"You and Kaoru don't have what it takes to save the humanity. I do even if it means sacrificing one for the good of many," I say wiping my hands on my pants. From behind Kyouya's glasses, I see a single tear stream down his face. I never pegged the shadow king for a crier._

 _"You monster..." Kyouya says clenching his fists._

 _"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've heard it all," I chuckle darkly. "You monster, how could you? He was only a kid," I mock the voices of so many others I've heard before. For the first time Kyouya sees a truly merciless reboot. Suddenly he understands why Kaoru devoted his life to hunting them._

 _"I'll get you for this," Kyouya growled at me. I turn my back to him and started back into the woods._

 _"Yeah? We'll see," I say breezing past him and not looking back._

I had very few posessions to gather. The only truly important thing was my sketchbook. At this point I didn't want it. It was full of drawings of Tamaki, Kaoru, and even Kyouya. They were all part of my past though. Moving into the future, I didn't want to bring them with me. Their ghosts were going to haunt me for the rest of my life.

The HARC van arrived on time as promised and Kazukiyo and I got in it silently. He stared at me with something I haven't seen in his eyes in a long time. Fear. He was afraid of what I was capable of. He was still naive and innocent. His hands had never taken the life of another. He was afraid that now I've come unhinged.

I maintain eye contact with him on the silent ride home. When the van stops and we get off it, I need to talk to the boss.

"Rest up 46. Combat training tomorrow," I say emotionlessly. The reboot 187 is back for one final mission.

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	18. Chapter 18

**Hikaru's POV**

This mission was all about building trust. I had to somehow get access to the research and soon, or everyone else was doomed. This was the ultimate mission. I only hoped that I had what it took to do this.

"Hikaru," Kazukiyo pulled me from my thoughts. His face was stone. He didn't want to let me in since I told him that I killed Kaoru. He was afraid of me.

"Right, uhm we're going to do more combat training to get you ready for the field," I said shaking my head.

"No, we're not. You can't even think straight long enough to throw a punch," Kazukiyo crossed his arms. That was one thing about the kid that was driving me crazy. He was suddenly getting an attitude with me.

"You don't get to tell me what to do," I growled at him. He flinched at my harsh tone, but stood his ground. Leaps and bounds. The kid was making leaps and bounds.

"Actually, we're done for today. The training session ended 15 minutes ago and I am out of here. I will never understand why you did what you did, but it's a choice you made. Don't you ever drag me into that or this. I won't stay here. Turn me in. I dare you. Whether I escape or they elminate me, at least I won't be here anymore," He said turning around and walking away from me.

I have officially lost everyone I care about all for the sake of one mission.

I sit alone at dinner. It reminds me of life before Kazukiyo came and changed everything. If I hadn't met Kazukiyo, would they still have sent me after Kaoru? The answer was probably yes. Even though I'm sure they know exactly who Kaoru was to me.

Across the room, Kazukiyo was also dining alone. It almost hurt me to know that he resented me that much. He looked up at me from his meal with a hurt expression on his face. Suddenly I'm thrown into a memory.

 _"God Hikaru, what has been going on with you lately?" Kaoru yelled at me causing my anger to flare. It had been a month now since they started to inject me with viles of the KDH virus. There were definitely side effects._

 _"Nothing Kaoru. I don't know what you mean. First you tell me that we need to branch out and make new friends and then you yell at me for doing so? Who do you think you are?" I growl back at him. He walks up and stands his ground infront of me._

 _"When I said let new people into our world, I meant the host club. I meant people that would be good for us. The people you disappear with after school are not what I meant at all," Kaoru said to me looking defeated. If the KDH virus wasn't in my system, well, I probably would've backed down and not continued to fight._

 _"There is nothing wrong with me, or the people I hang out with Kaoru. Mind your own damn business," I yell at him now. Suddenly, that defeated look turned to anger._

 _"It is my business! You keep coming home really late at night and you've been acting different. You're always tired, you're always angry, you're pale, you have dark circles under your eyes, you never eat, you don't talk to me anymore, and you NEVER smile," Kaoru said putting a hand around my wrist and turning my arm over. "I can see the bruises. I can see the tiny puncture wounds. Look Hikaru, if you have a problem, we can work through it. Just let me help you," Kaoru begged._

 _I tore my arm away from him. If only he understood that everything I had to do, I did for him. As much as I wanted to be the Hikaru he missed, I couldn't be. My body craved the KDH injections. It was too late for me to just go back to being Hikaru._

 _"Like I said Kaoru, mind your own business. The only problem I have is my nosey little brother thinking he knows everything. Well you don't," I growled grabbing my jacket and heading for the door._

 _"Where are you going?" Kaoru called after me, following me._

 _"Out," I growl in response. It breaks my heart to have to treat my brother like that. We've never fought like this. I've never seen Kaoru look so heart broken. Sure, he was always the more emotional twin, but he never looked like that. I had to get out of this experiment._

 _That's why I picked up my bike and wheeled through the darkness for two hours to what I would later come to know as HARC head quarters. No matter what withdraw symptoms I would be putting my body through, I wanted to be able to go home, crawl into bed with Kaoru, and know that everything was ok. That I had fixed everything._

 _With my brave face on, I stormed through the doors of the boss's office. "I want out," I said quickly and with as much confidence as I could muster. This man looked scary._

 _"Mr. Hitachiin, it is impolite to barge in unannounced, and no you can't have out," The man said looking up at me from the chair behind his desk._

 _"I can't do this anymore. I can't do it to my brother," I say urgently._

 _"We discussed the consequences of you not participating. If you want us to leave Kaoru alone, you will continue," The boss said. I started getting angry._

 _"No, if_ _ **you**_ _want to continue this experiment you will release me with zero consequences," I challenge. The boss stands._

 _"And on what grounds do you have to make such a demand," The boss's voice sends a chill down my spine._

 _"If you don't release me, I will call the police and tell them all about this unethical, illegal experiment," I growl and spin heading towards the door. No one stops me. I've won._

 _I don't go home that night, but I do go to school the next day. My uniform is wrinkled from being shoved in my backpack and brought to me by the driver when I called from a pay phone that morning. I didn't know how I was supposed to talk to Kaoru. How was I supposed to apologize to him?_

 _At lunch, I sat alone, pushing the food around my tray. Across the cafeteria, I see Kaoru sitting with the host club. He looks up at me with a hurt expression on his face. It makes my stomach turn, so I drop my fork and stand. I need to go over there now. I need to see him now. I start walking over there and sit next to Kaoru without a word. The other hosts stare at me funny at first, but then slowly incorporate me into their conversation. Kaoru, however, stays quiet. The bell rings and lunch is over._

 _"Kaoru," I say before he can walk away. He stares at me unsure of what to say, so I hug him. "I'm sorry. I'll be better Kaoru. For you," I say softly. He hugs me back._

 _"I forgive you," He said softly._

 _"So Hikaru, now that you've made up with Kaoru, I expect to see you at the host club. It would really raise our profits," Kyouya spoke up. I didn't even realize he was there._

 _"Of course," I respond to him breaking away from Kaoru._

 _"Hey, could one of you guys go home before the club pick up your mother's costume plans?" Tamaki asked._

 _"I will," I said before walking off to class._

I blink now as the present comes rushing back to me. That memory. That was my last day alive. The favor that Tamaki asked of me was the one that got me killed all because I had threatened to blow the lid on the experiment.

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Just to clarify, the reboot boss that gives Hikaru his missions is the same boss that was running the KDH trials. :)

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	19. Chapter 19

**Hikaru's Pov**

This was it. I'd have to make my move soon. I couldn't stand to stay here at HARC and carry on with their dirty work much longer. Not to mention new reboots have been flowing in like crazy, which means the boss is developing new strands of the KDH virus to use on people.

My eyes glance over Kazukiyo. His training was nearly over and if he didn't go out and kill whichever miserable soul HARC directs him to, he would be facing elimintation. I couldn't let that happen to him. He didn't ask for any of this. I had asked him once, if he was receiving KDH injections, but he hadn't. That meant the reboot gene was passed along through his family recessively until it got to him. A second chance didn't sound so bad, especially if it was curable like Kyouya had suggested it may be.

I knew where the research was being kept. The paper files had all been transferred to a computer like Kyouya said they would be when we were searching for a solution. He put a kill code on a flash drive for when we figured out how to break into HARC. I swiped it and snuck it back in with me. The second I plugged it into the computer, everything involving the KDH virus would be gone and the boss would never create another reboot again. Then maybe Kyouya could get to reversing the effect of the KDH virus and all these teens could go back home. All except for me.

I wasn't sure that I could go home. There was too much pain there. Too many torn relationships. I wasn't sure I could let Kyouya make me human again. I don't think there's any coming back from all the things that I've done. With full human emotions, I don't think I'd ever be the same again. Hikaru Hitachiin was gone forever. The world was still turning and everyone was ok.

"187, the boss would like to see you right now," A human guard mumbled as he nodded down the corridor to the boss's office. I didn't respond, but walked towards the office. An audience with the boss meant either a mission, or something bad. At this point, even a mission would be bad. I don't want to hurt anymore people.

"187," The boss greeted as I sat in a chair infront of his desk. I tried not to look over at the computer on his desk. All it would take was the flash drive in my pocket and then this whole operation would be over. "Your apprentice, he will be doing his final test in two days time. I certainly hope that you won't disappoint us. He seems... Soft," The boss said.

"I'll have him ready," I say as I rise. I needed to talk to Kazukiyo. It was time to let him in on the mission. I would get the flash drive in the computer tonight after curfew and then Kazukiyo and I would flee the facility.

I wonder where Kazukiyo is as I look for him. He isn't in the cafeteria with the rest of the reboots. The only other place I can think of that he would be is his room. It just so happened that my intuition was correct. Kazukiyo was laying on his bed staring at the ceiling as I let myself into his room.

"What do you want?" He asks hollowly as I close the door behind me.

"Your final mission as my apprentice is in two-" I stop talking as he turns his head to look at me.

"I know. They already gave me my target," He said closing his eyes. I can see the fear in his eyes.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"It's Kyouya Ootori," He deadpans. I feel my blood run cold. What had Kyouya done to get himself on the boss's radar? Was it simply knowing about the existance of reboots? "I don't want to kill him, but the closer it gets, the more I don't want to die. Is this what you meant by our will to survive?" He asks me sitting up.

"You won't have to kill him. You and I are leaving, tonight," I say lowering my voice. He looks at me interested now. I knew I'd have to explain. "HARC is planning on making everyone into reboots. No more humans. That's why I had to get us back here. I need to get this kill code into the computer in the boss's office to kill all their data and research," I whisper even though we're behind closed doors.

"I knew you were good at heart, but Kaoru?" Kazukiyo asks me. I shrugged looking down at the ground.

"I really did shoot him," I mutter. Kazukiyo was quiet for a moment. "Kyouya Ootori thinks he can cure this. That's why he's your target," I say.

"Like, he could make me human again?" Kazukiyo asks. I nod at him. "I could go home. Hikaru, you could go home!" He says excitedly. What I don't tell him is that if I come out of this alive, I'm not going home. Destroying the research is only a chip in the iceburg. The real challenge will be restoring all the reboots to their lives and making sure the HARC staff rots in hell.

"Alright, here's the plan," I say softly and explain the plan to him.

That's how, two hours later, Kazukiyo and I find ourselves waiting in the hall outside the boss's office in all black after curfew. Once the boss leaves, the office is locked and Kazukiyo hands me a bobby pin he snagged from one of the female reboots. He keeps watch while I pick the lock.

Once in the office, I start up the computer and plug in the flash drive. I would destroy the computer in it's entirity, but it has a lot of evidence the police will need to see once we get them in here. I wait for the kill code to crash the KDH files.

From outside the office, I hear the faintest of taps. Someone is coming. I through myself under the desk and hold my breath. I can hear papers shuffle ontop of the desk and then whoever it is turns to leave. Before they make it the whole way out, a small _ding_ sounds from the computer indicating the flash drive has done it's job. Now they know someone is here.

I burst from under the desk. It's just a human guard and nothing more. An easy take for me. Within seconds I have him unconcious. Then, an idea hits me. His uniform. I take his uniform and put it on. His tool belt has everything I need.

"Give me your hands," I tell Kazukiyo. He does and I handcuff him. This was so it looks more natural.

We make it to the vans. The belt had keys to the HARC vans, so we take one and we drive, fast.

"We're free," Kazukiyo mumbled at first.

"For now," I say. We ditch the van in the woods and walk on foot the rest of the way back Ouran. By now I've let Kazukiyo out of the handcuffs.

"Where are we going?" He asked me.

"Kyouya's house," I tell him. We've been walking for a good three hours. It's probably around 3 am by the time I bang on Kyouya's front door. A couple of lights turn on before the shadow king himself opens the door.

"Hunter," He says stepping aside to let Kazukiyo and I in.

"The kill code worked. The research is destroyed," I tell him. He nods at me. From somewhere in the house I hear another door open and then close. Footsteps coming to the top of the stairs.

"Kyouya, who is it?" It's a voice I've never been so thankful to hear in my entire life.

"He pulled through," Kyouya says to me as we both watch Kaoru slowly climb down the stairs gripping his side with one hand and the railing with the other.

"Wait, I thought you said Kaoru was dead," Kazukiyo pipped up behind me.

"It's a really long story," I respond not taking my eyes off my brother. Kaoru walks straight up to me and shoves me as hard as he can.

"Next time you make a plan this big at least let me in on it," He said. It was clear that he was still not happy that I was a reboot. His eyes shift to Kazukiyo. "Class Rep, is that you?" He asks.

"Hello Kaoru," He responds with a friendly smile.

"Kazukiyo Soga," Kyouya greets not sounding surprised.

"I heard that you think you can reverse the reboot effect?" Kazukiyo asked him.

"It isn't tested, but yes, we may have a solution. We need time," Kyouya tells him.

"Test it on me. I don't want to be like this," Kazukiyo says gently. Kyouya can't resist the oppertunity to have a lab rat. Even if it is 3 in the morning. The two of them leave Kaoru and I alone.

"Am I correct to assume that you'll ask Kyouya to make you human and then run back home?" Kaoru asked. I blinked at him and shook my head.

"I don't think I want to be human again. There is no coming back from all I've done. Plus my family is better off with out me," I respond to him. He starts back for the stairs and begins to climb them slowly. At the top he turns back towards me and sighs.

"I think you're a coward Hunter. You don't want to be human because you're afraid to feel remorse for every bad thing you've done. It isn't about your family. It's about you," He said and then he disappeared leaving me alone.

* * *

You guys didn't **actually** believe I'd kill off Kaoru with no resolve like that. Did you?

Frequent updates this week.

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	20. Chapter 20

**Kaoru's POV**

 _(Flash back)_

 _My eyes fluttered open. Everything was bright and I couldn't feel a thing. Was this what it felt like to be dead? If this was death, where was Hikaru? I had imagined he would be waiting for me when I died at the gates to where ever we would go. At least we'd be together._

 _As my vision began to clear, a figure came into view, but it wasn't my brother standing over me._

 _"Kyouya," I say weakly._

 _"Kaoru, it's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?" He asks looking over me._

 _"I feel..." I start to push myself up, but stop. Pain rips through my body. I stay down. "I should be dead. Hunter shot me. Why am I alive?" I ask Kyouya._

 _"Hunter and I planned it this way," Kyouya responded quickly. I'm shocked. They planned this?_

 _"Why wasn't I let in on this little plan?" I ask narrowing my eyes. If I had my strength I might've punched Kyouya._

 _"We needed your reaction to be genuine. Plus Kaoru, you were so quick to volunteer to give your life that I was afraid you'd do something to ensure you actually died. You don't think I've forgotten your attempts, do you?" He asks me. I shake my head, or at least try._

 _"What exactly is the plan?" I ask chosing to ignore the fact that he brought up something I didn't want to think about._

 _"The plan was to have Hunter shoot you in a place that looked convincing, but you wouldn't die from. He was nervous, but I sat him down and showed him where to aim. Once you were shot, he would carry you through the woods where there aren't any cameras. I met him in the woods where we switched bodies. I had one from the morgue ready. We put your hoodie on it and pulled up the hood, so that the face was concealed from the park camera where he crossed out and rolled the other body off the cliff. We needed HARC to believe you were dead, so that they would take Hunter back to the base. I brought you back here where you're getting private medical care and where you'll stay while you're supposed to be dead. We have a legal search warrent out for you right now, so once this is over you'll just show back up having taken a vacation and very sorry for the worry you caused everyone. In the meantime, Hunter is back at base with a flash drive I gave him containing a kill code to wipe the system of the computer with all the research on it. When he's done, he's going to get back here or give me a sign. We have a time limit in place in case things go wrong and he doesn't make it out," Kyouya explained to me._

 _"So you're telling me, you're sending Hunter in there to fight against his own kind and trusting him to come out?" I asked. Kyouya was smarter than this. You can never trust a reboot._

 _"He doesn't want the reboot population growing anymore than we do. We have to trust him, Kaoru. Hunter is not the enemy," Kyouya sighs._

 _"He came here to kill me!" I try to raise my voice._

 _"But he didn't kill you. I don't think you're mad that he didn't tell you that he is a reboot," Kyouya says flatly._

 _"That's exactly why I'm mad. He lied to me," I snap._

 _"I think you're mad that you've found out reboots aren't as evil as you thought they were. I think you're upset that he didn't kill Hikaru and you aren't getting your revenge. Most of all, I think you're scared to ask if your brother rebooted," Kyouya says to me. I can feel the anger bubbling under my skin._

 _"Of course Hikaru didn't reboot! If he did, he would've found me and told me," I start off angry, but end in a sorrowful tone. "He would've found me," I repeated._

 _"What if he didn't remember?" Kyouya asked._

 _"It wouldn't be fair. I've been killing reboots since Hikaru died. If he rebooted, what if I killed him? I couldn't live with that. You wouldn't understand," I tell Kyouya sadly truthfully, the thought had crossed my mind._

 _"You're right, I don't understand, but there is one person out there that does understand," Kyouya points out to me. I shake my head._

 _"Hunter? No, he wouldn't understand," I say trying to dismiss any idea Kyouya may have. Unfortunately, Kyouya is as stubborn as an Ox._

 _"Actually Kaoru, I talked to him when we were planning. He didn't have any memories until recently when they came back to Ouran. Look, I know how you feel about reboots, but he has a family too. He's afraid that if he comes back to his family, they won't forgive him or accept him," Kyouya said. I rolled my eyes. It was hard to imagine a reboot feeling any type of emotion._

 _"Well then, he's a coward. Any parent would take their kid back. It's selfish of him to have the chance to go home and to not take it," I respond. It was as simple as that._

(Present time)

I laid awake the rest of the night in my bed. I couldn't get the look on Hunter's face when I told him he was a coward out of my mind. He looked so genuinely broken. I almost pitied him. Something about that face reminds me of Hikaru and the way he used to look at me during our hosting act. Except, it was genuine.

As the sun rose and was filtering through the windows, I knew that I'd have to go back down there with Hunter. I wonder though, what became of Kazukiyo? I'm sure that Kyouya made out ok. He had doctors on call that had been working on a cure to the KDH virus and the rebooting after effect. They just weren't sure what condition the human would be in after waking up from that.

I stand and slowly walk down the stairs. I was mostly recovered from the bullet wound, but it still needed a little more time. Time that I apparently had since I was supposed to be dead, missing, or whatever.

Kyouya and Kazukiyo hadn't reappeared, but I did see Hunter laying asleep on a couch in the living room. He was obviously having a nightmare. I sat on the coffee table right infront of the couch just watching him.

"Don't go near him. I'll only do this as long as you stay away from him," Hunter mumbled in his sleep. Then he pulled his knees into his chest and started screaming at the top of his lungs. I stand and start shaking him.

"Hunter, wake up," I say until the screaming stops and he's staring at me.

"Kaoru," He mumbled sitting up fast. He's covered in sweat and wearing long sleeves. I can't imagine that's doing him any favors.

"What the hell was that Hunter?" I ask him wondering if there were any other reboot surprises I should be informed of.

"I... Nightmare, well memory," Hunter says quietly. I stare at him waiting for him to elaborate on that. "I was remembering my first encounter with HARC. They told me if I didn't let them inject me with the KDH virus that they would hurt my little brother. That first injection... It was the most painful thing I can recall," He said looking at me.

"You had a little brother? Where is he now?" I ask.

"He's around. He doesn't know I'm around. I don't want him to. He's alright though. I'm proud of him," Hunter says with a shrug. It's one of the most selfish things I've ever heard. If my brother rebooted, I would want to know.

"I'll never understand that," I sigh. Before Hunter can ask what, Kyouya comes into the room.

"It's done. Kazukiyo is human again. It worked," He said looking over us both. "One visitor at a time. You first Kaoru. I need a word with Hunter," Kyouya says, so I get up and go to see Kazukiyo.

He isn't awake, so I sit at his bedside, but he certainly is human again. The ticking of a heart monitor confirms that.

* * *

So this was a filler chapter.

What do you guys think? :D


	21. Chapter 21

**Hikaru's POV**

I stare at Kyouya from my seat on the couch. I'm really relieved to hear that Kazukiyo survived the procedure and was human again the way he wanted to be.

"You don't look too happy for someone who just brought back the dead," I say studying Kyouya's face.

"I didn't bring back the dead. We found out that the reboot gene takes hold of a person seconds before they die. Technically, you're still alive. That isn't what I wanted to talk to you about though," Kyouya says with a sigh.

"Phase two?" I lift an eyebrow. Our plan was a two part deal.

"No, I think you should let me make you human again," He says crossing his arms. I open my mouth to retort, but he holds his hand up to stop me. "I know it's you Hikaru," He finishes.

"But how?" I ask as my mouth goes dry and a nervous feeling takes hold of me.

"Calm down. I won't tell Kaoru, it isn't my place. I've known it was you since Kaoru brought you to me saying you weren't human. Why else would I have trusted you to shoot and not kill Kaoru?" He asked.

"He hates reboots and he hates me. I don't want to ruin his image of his brother. Plus, I've done so many bad things, I just... I can't go back and act like nothing has changed," I say looking at the ground.

"He hates reboots because he thinks you were killed by one. He doesn't hate you. He's upset that he let himself get close to you only to find out that you're a reboot. He really just misses Hikaru and I know you miss him. I see the way he breaks your heart every time he writes you off or treats you poorly," Kyouya insists. There's no way I'll ket him go through with this.

"I deserve it after the way I acted when I was human. I thought that I was protecting him. They threatened to kill him if I didn't go along with their experiment. When I told them I was out and threatened to send the police their way... They killed me," I tell him as I look back up at him. "Hikaru Hitachiin really is dead," I mumble.

"You obviously need time to wrap your head around this one. Just consider it, ok?" He asks and I nod. I don't really need to though. "As for phase two, I sent the police in this morning. All the reboots have been rounded up and are at my family's hospital to undergo the procedure that will make them human again. Most of the HARC guards have been arrested, but the man in charge got away. We have officers looking for him everywhere. We're going to get him."

"Alright. Thank you Kyouya. It's been a pleasure working with you again. Take care of Kazukiyo and Kaoru," I sigh. He gives me a weird look.

"Why does that sound like a goodbye?" He asks.

"Because it is," I say and then walk out the front door. Kyouya makes no move to stop me.

My work here is done. The reboots will be returned to their families, Kyouya is taking care of Kaoru, Kazukiyo is human again, and well, there's really no need for me to linger around my old life like a ghost. There's just one place I want to go before I leave Ouran for good.

The grave yard is empty save for myself. It takes me a long time to find the grave I'm looking for, but eventually I do. There it is. My name engraved in the stone, so I sit and stare at it for a while.

A big part of me wishes that I really was buried in the coffin below the stone. Things would be so much easier if I was. It didn't feel right to sit there on top of my grave. Especially after Kyouya told me I'm not really dead. Well physically I'm not. Hikaru was laid to rest by everyone already. It needed to stay that way. As much as I would love for this to have never happened, it was too late.

"I'm sorry," I whisper to no one in particular. I still didn't remember everything from my human life, but I knew that the person I used to be would be ashamed now. I couldn't stay here any longer. It wasn't right.

As I walked away from the grave, I felt like I was leaving a big part of myself behind. Maybe this was a goodbye, but I certainly didn't feel any better. As the graveyard disappeared in the distance, I wondered where I could go. There was only one place in the world for me and that was standing next to a man that couldn't stand me.

The bus that I got on was going a couple of towns over. That would have to work for now. Maybe with time, I would will myself to go further. Right now though, this was all the distance I could stomach. I stepped out onto the street and reminded myself, this is what's best for me and for my brother.

* * *

Another filler. :/ I know what I want to happen, I just don't know how to make it happen. Alas, I will figure it out though.

What do you guys think will happen?


	22. Chapter 22

**Hikaru's POV**

My life is boring. It consists of the same routine each day. School,home, and sleep. However, I have been following the reboot epidemic closely ever since I got here. Kyouya has done a great job reuniting families with their lost loved ones. Kazukiyo's family welcomed him back with open arms, at least that what it showed on the news. In an interview, Kazukiyo spoke of what life was like in the compound. He didn't even get to the tip of the iceburg. While what he said sounded horrible and was true, Kazukiyo wouldn't understand the horrors that many of the other reboots were experiencing. He had never killed anyone. He didn't have remorse like the rest of them. It was something that none of the others that returned to human state could stomach. I couldn't blame them. I'm not sure I'd be able to handle it either. Then again, no one had taken as many lives as I had in my time at HARC.

My phone vibrated causing me to sigh. I was unsure how many times Kazukiyo could text me before he figured out that I wasn't going to respond. He was a smart kid. Surely he would've figured it out by now, but apparently not. In the month that I'd been gone he texted me at least once every couple of days. It was tiresome. I keep meaning to block his number, I just can't. Sometimes he sends pictures and as much as I hate to admit it, I miss the kid a little bit. He had with out a doubt grown on me since the first time we met. He was a poor excuse for a fighter, but he had a good heart. In HARC that would go a long way. Longer than I ever could've imagined. Never in my years there did I see a dopey kid, causing me to change sides entirely and really evaluate what's important to me.

My phone chimed again, but I made no moved to look at the text. Kaoru is the most important thing to me. His safety and well being comes before everything. That's why I'm away from him. With the guy that ran HARC on the lose, it was safer for Kaoru if I stay away. He would be happier too. Everytime I think of him, I remember the friendship we had before he found out the truth behind what I am. We were close. Maybe not as close as we had been before, but I still don't remember all of that. The only thing that really registerred to me now was bits and pieces of the past. It's like I have the outer edge of the puzzle put together, but I've lost all the middle pieces. Sometimes I find it incredibly frustrating. Other times, I'm glad I don't remember what I can no longer have.

I finally pick up my phone and open the screen. It's an unknown number which is odd. I don't really get anything from anyone other than Kazukiyo. I open the message. It's a picture of Kaoru and I from my human life. I stare at it smiling softly. We look so intune with eachother. Even though we're identical I can tell which one of us is Kaoru. The other one, me, he's a total stranger. Everything about him is foreign to me. My finger traces over my own smile. I don't think I've ever worn such a smile as a reboot. I don't know much about the kid with amber eyes and ginger hair, but I do know that he never thought about the consequences of his actions. With a sigh, I open the next message. It's another picture message. This one is the whole family. I see Kaoru and I in the front. Next to Kaoru is our mother and next to me is... Our father or our uncle? I stare at his smiling face as I'm thrown into another memory.

 _"You can't be serious Mom!" I say angrily as she walks away from me. I follow her with Kaoru following me._

 _"I'm serious alright Hikaru. I've had it with your games. You knew this business deal meant a lot to me and you went and sabotaged it with a prank. This is the end of it," She said sternly as she continued walking towards the front door. "Really, you've left me no choice. Your uncle was kind enough to offer to take you in at his boarding school. Do not push me further and do not do anything to get yourself kicked out. They've promised to make you a respectable young man at this school and thats how I expect you to return," She snapped ushering me out the door to the car._

 _"It was a harmless prank mom. I didn't mean for anything to go so wrong. Please Mom, don't do this," I plead. She opens the door to the car and shakes her head. My face falls and I turn to hug my brother. "I'll be back soon Kao. Don't you worry," I say hugging my brother tightly. He hugs me back and although I can't see him, I know he was casting a pleading look over my shoulder to my mother. It didn't make her budge. This was happening. I was being sent to boarding school._

 _The ride there was lonely and uneventful._

 _When I stepped out of the car, my uncle greeted me at the front of the main building. He was my father's twin brother, so seeing him always creeped me out a little bit. Despite the fact that I am a twin, constantly mistaking my uncle for my father got under my skin. Shouldn't twins be able to tell apart other twins._

 _"Hikaru! Welcome! I think you'll find that you fit right in here. We're excited to have you. You'll find we are a very science oriented school. Our staff and professors are using our labs to refine certain medicines to improve the human race. You're going to get to witness that first hand. I know you like science," He smiles at me. My uncle is scary looking. He appears to be tired, tough, and not the kind of guy you want to mess with. He always bragging at family dinners about how he was so close to finally making invincible soldiers. We all knew he was full of shit._

 _"Thank you Uncle. Could you point me in the direction of my dorms? I'm tired," I mumble dipping my head and sighing. My uncle seems disappointed that I'm not as interested in his impossible science experiments, but leads the way to my room even pulling my suitcase for me._

I remember that boarding school. I only attended it for two weeks before mom decided I had learned my lesson and brought me back to Ouran. I set the phone o the counter. That hadn't been the importance of the flashback. My uncle was a man that I had seen a thousand times since my death and never realized it.

"You understand now?" The voice sounded behind me causing me to jump. I turned fast, but the needle was already in my neck. It was my uncle. My uncle was the leader of the HARC experimentation. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out before my world goes black.

When I come to again, I'm unsure how much time has passed, but I'm strapped down. There's a faint ticking noise at my bedside. I open my eyes and my world sets on fire.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hikaru's POV**

Everything hurt. My lungs burned with every breath, my skin was burning with fever, my head was pounding, my ears were ringing, and my eyes hurt from the burning light above. I couldn't see clearly. My vision was fine, I could see enough, but everything wasn't as refined as it usually was. I groaned and pushed myself up despite the protest from my muscles. The ticking was coming from a monitor next to me. The wires coming out of it were attatched me. I gasped. Reboots didn't get sick, reboots didn't, feel pain, and most importantly reboots didn't have a heart beat. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to end it right there. Every emotion that I hadn't experienced in years was hitting me with amplified force. A wave of fear and grief washed over me as I realized that I was definitely human again.

I flinch as I pull the IV and monitor cords out of and off of my skin and stand up walking with the grace of an elephant to the sink on the other side of the room. The mirror above it confirms what I know already. Staring back at me are honey colored eyes, humanly pale skin, and a mop of ginger hair. I reach up and touch my hair cautiously as if it's an illusion that will shatter and I'd be staring at my rebooted self. At this point that would come as a relief to me. Of course it didn't happen like that. There I was, still human. Dull senses, feverish, and weak. There was no evidence of my former rebooted self. Even my barcode had vanished. I ran my hands through my ginger hair roughly and shook my head. The emotion was taking over. There tears falling down my face. I choked back a sob, but it forced it's way out and more followed it. I was glad that my stomach was empty or else things might've gotten worse.

"You always were a weak human. I made you stronger. I made you better than the rest of them and you couldn't handle that. You ruined it for everyone else, so naturally I couldn't let you keep your gift either. You were disobidient Hikaru, disobedience is answered with punishment and this is just the tip of the iceburg. You never should've crossed me," My uncle's voice sounded from behind me. I didn't turn to face him. Instead, I stared at him through the mirror standing behind me looking smug.

"Where's Kaoru?" I force the words through my burning throat because I need to know that he hasn't touched my brother.

"Your weak twin brother is still at home living his life and missing you. If you think about it, this whole thing really is your fault, Hikaru. If you hadn't threatened my operation in the first place, we wouldn't have had to kill you. What, you did it for him? If you cared about him, you would've continued with the experiment. We were improving people. Your brother could've been improved, but instead, you just had to force our hand. Really, we didn't want to kill you. That was dirty work. Unfortunately, you made a mistake and a price had to be paid. Well, Hikaru, you've just made a bigger even more severe mistake and you are going to pay up," My uncle growls.

My eyes flicker from his figure in the mirror to my own dead colored eyes. I may be human again, but it's clear that the boy inside of me is broken into pieces. I was right. There was no way that I could go home now. The guilt was too much, but at the same time a longing crept into my heart. I wanted to go home and crawl into my brother's bed, wrap my arms around him, and hug him. It was something that I had always missed. I just hadn't known it. Would he welcome me back? Part of me knew that he would because we were twins. He probably missed me as much as I missed him. The other part of me screamed as loud as it could that I'm not anyone my brother would be proud of. I'm anyone that I can be proud of.

"What now then?" I ask him not sure that I'm ready to hear his answer. Whatever he has planned can't be good. I ruined his life's work.

"You're going to kill your brother. This is all because of him, isn't it?" My uncle responds with a smile. I shake my head as fast as my human muscles will allow.

"No. I absolutely will not kill anyone for you let alone Kaoru," I respond quickly and more vigorously than I had before. I was done killing people.

"You aren't going to have a choice. You'll do whatever I want. You see, when I reversed to reboot effect on you, I embedded a chip within you. Once I activate it, you'll be under my complete control and won't have any choice but to do what I tell you. You will kill your brother and then your debt to me will be paid. Imagine the look in his eyes when you strike him down and then remove that helmet of yours and realizes who you are. It's going to be priceless. Just you wait. You'll see. He's going to die hating you."

My eyes widen at the revelation. We had used the mind control chips in training at HARC, but never in a million years did I imagine that I would find myself with one embedded within me. I've seen what they do to people. The chip itself shuts down the brain's frontal lobe that's responsible for decision making, shuts down the sensory cortexes to do away with sight, sound, and feeling, and takes hold of a person's motor cortex. If he activates it within me, I will be nothing more than a zombie pawn and I will, indeed, kill my brother. He pulls out a remote and shakes it in front of me. I turn and lunge at him to get ahold of it,but he's quick and as a human I'm slow and weak. He grins and pressed the button.

Every part of my brain that makes me myself shuts off and conscious fades to black.


End file.
